Portmanteau

noun

1.

a large trunk or suitcase, typically made of stiff leather and opening into two equal parts.

2.

A portmanteau is a blended word made of two or more other words. Portmanteau words adopt the meanings of both words 

There are some common words that you may not realize are portmanteaus: moped = motor + pedal, modem = modulator + demodulator, motel (from ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’) or brunch (from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’).

A portmanteau is a literary device that encourages linguistic creativity. By combining two distinct words into one, a new word is created that holds its own specific meaning.

This wordplay expands the boundaries of language while also keeping readers engaged in the creative work.

57 Common and unexpected portmanteau examples

1 advertorial (advertisement + editorial) – an advertisement that takes the form of a written editorial

2 affluenza (affluence + influenza) – unhealthy feelings of entitlement or lack of motivation experienced by wealthy people

3 alphanumeric (alphabetic + numeric) – consisting of letters and numbers

4 animatronics (animation + electronics) – the electronic animation of puppets or similar figures to create lifelike effects

5 anklet (ankle + bracelet) – jewelry designed to wrap around the ankle

6 athleisure (athletic + leisure) – comfortable clothing that can be worn for exercise or as casual, everyday attire

7 biopic (biography + picture) – a biographical film

8 Bollywood (Bombay + Hollywood) – the Indian film industry

9 Botox (botulism + toxin) – an injectable drug that uses a strain of botulism to treat signs of aging on the skin

10 brainiac (brain + maniac) – a highly intelligent person

11 breathalyzer (breath + analyzer) – a device used to analyze a person’s breath for their blood alcohol content or to detect viruses

12 Brexit (Britain + exit) – the withdrawal of Great Britain from the European Union in 2020, after voting to leave in a 2016 referendum

13 bromance (brother + romance) – a close platonic relationship between two male friends

14 brunch (breakfast + lunch) – a meal that takes place between breakfast and lunch hours

15 carjack (car + hijack) – theft of an automobile using violence or intimidation

16 celebutante (celebrity + debutante) – a wealthy person who receives media attention akin to that of a celebrity

17 chillax (chill + relax) – to calm down

18 cosplay (costume + roleplay) – an art or practice where people dress as fictional characters

19 cyborg (cybernetic + organism) – a creature with human features created using mechanical components

20 dumbfounded (dumb + confounded) – astonished or utterly speechless

21 electrocute (electricity + execute) – to harm or kill with electricity

22 email (electronic + mail) – the electronic alternative to paper mail communication

23 emoticon (emotion + icon) – facial expressions or emotions expressed through keyboard symbols

24 froyo (frozen + yogurt) – a frozen dessert made of yogurt

25 frenemy (friend + enemy) – someone who acts like or pretends to be a friend despite an underlying rivalry

26 fortnight (fourteen + night) – two weeks of fourteen nights

27 fauxhawk (faux + mohawk) – hair that’s styled to look like a mohawk

28 gastropub (gastronomy + pub) – a bar that serves gourmet food

29 glamping (glamorous + camping) – a style of camping that includes luxurious comforts and supplies

30 guesstimate (guess + estimate) – an estimate based on a hunch rather than data

31 hangry (hungry + angry) – irritable or angry as a result of hunger

32 hazmat (hazardous + material) – substances that could be dangerous if not properly contained

33 intercom (internal + communication) – a two-way speaker system used to communicate among people in a specific location

34 internet (interconnected + network) – a computer network of information

35 jeggings (jeans + leggings) – leggings designed to resemble denim jeans

36 Juneteenth (June + nineteenth) – the day that commemorates the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the end of slavery, in the United States

37 labradoodle (labrador + poodle) – a hybrid dog breed with parentage from a labrador retriever and a poodle

38 listicle (list + article) – an article formatted as a list

39 mansplain (man + explain) – to explain something (usually to a woman) in a condescending or patronizing manner

40 Medicare (medical + care) – the government-administered US health insurance program for people with disabilities and those who are age sixty-five or older; similar to Medicaid (medical + aid), the health insurance program for people with limited income.

41 metaverse (meta + universe) – a virtual environment meant for social connection

42 mocktail (mock + cocktail) – a cocktail that contains no alcohol

43 motel (motor + hotel) – a hotel designed for motorists

44 newscast (news + broadcast) – a radio or television segment that features current events

45 Obamacare (Obama + healthcare) – a colloquial term that describes the Affordable Care Act created under President Barack Obama’s administration

46 pluot (plum + apricot) – a hybrid stone fruit that combines the characteristics of a plum and an apricot

47 podcast (iPod + broadcast) – a digital audio program that can be downloaded and listened to on demand

48 Pokémon (pocket + monsters) – an animated Japanese media franchise centered around creatures that are kept in pocket-sized balls and trained to battle each other

49 popsicle (pop + icicle) – a frozen dessert, typically made with fruit juice or fruit flavor

50 romcom (romance + comedy) – a show or movie plot that blends comedy and romance; similar to “sitcom,” which is a portmanteau word combining situational + comedy

51 shoppertainment - a portmanteau combining the words "shopping" and "entertainment".

52 spork (spoon + fork) – an eating utensil that severs as both a spoon and a fork

53 stash (store + cache) – a secret hiding place where valuables are kept

54 threepeat (three + repeat) – a situation or event with the same outcome three times, typically in reference to a sporting event, like a championship

55 vlog (video + log) – a video-based diary published online

56 webinar (web + seminar) – a presentation or seminar held online

57Wi-Fi (wireless + fidelity) – the wireless technology that allows devices to connect to each other and to the internet