What’s a portmanteau?
Smog, Netflix, brunch, podcast.
What do these words all have in common? You probably know what each of these words mean, but did you also know that they’re all portmanteaus? Seriously, did you know that?
Meaning of portmanteau
A portmanteau (also called a blend) are like a word-smoothies: they’re words that are formed by blending two words together, in a way that leaves out parts of both words’ original form.
The word smog, for example, blends two separate words: smoke + fog.
Portmanteaus adopt the meaning of both words which it’s made up of, like smog, which the dictionary defines as “fog or haze combined with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants“. Put more simply, it’s when you have both smoke and fog in the air simultaneously, this forms “smog“.
The takeaway is that portmanteaus are not just “word-smoothies” in the sense that the letters are chopped up and blended together, but also in the literal meaning as both words merge to form the new word altogether.
Portmanteaus vs. compound words
Compare the following group of words:
Internet (interconnected + network), brunch (breakfast + lunch); hangry (hungry + angry)
Afternoon (after + noon); airport (airport); baseball (base + ball)
The latter group are closed compound words, which are words that are made up of two or more words, such as baseball and basketball. As you can see, the difference between them is simply in how each is formed:
- Compound words keep both the original words’ spelling to create the new word; i.e., baseball uses the individual words base + ball entirely.
- Portmanteaus use portions or segments of the original words, and then glue them together; brunch combines breakfast and lunch, but it only uses the letters “br” from breakfast, and the rest is lunch.
List of common portmanteaus
| Portmanteau | Blend of: | Meaning |
| 1. advertorial | advertisement + editorial | an advertisement in 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 |
| 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 | film industry in Bombay |
| 9. Botox | botulism + toxin | cosmetic procedure to attenuate the signs of aging |
| 10. breathalyzer | breath + analyzer | device used to detect someone’s blood alcohol level |
| 11. Brexit | Britain + exit | Great Britain’s exit from the European Union |
| 12. bromance | brother + romance | a close friendship between men |
| 13. brunch | breakfast + lunch | a meal between the hours of breakfast and lunch |
| 14. celebutante | celebrity + debutante | a wealthy person who receives media attention akin to that of a celebrity |
| 15. cosplay | costume + roleplay | people dress as fictional characters in costumes |
| 16. cyborg | cybernetic + organism | a creature with human features created using mechanical components |
| 17. dumbfounded | dumb + confounded | astonished or utterly speechless |
| 18. electrocute | electricity + execute | to harm or kill with electricity |
| 19. email | electronic + mail | an email, alternative to paper mail |
| 20. emoticon | emotion + icon | facial expressions expressed through keyboard symbols |
| 21. froyo | frozen + yogurt | literally, frozen yogurt |
| 22. frenemy | friend + enemy | someone who acts as a friend but holds feelings of envy/rivalry |
| 23. fortnight | fourteen + night | two weeks/fourteen nights |
| 24. fauxhawk | faux + mohawk | a fake mohawk |
| 25. gastropub | gastronomy + pub | a bar that serves gourmet food |
| 26. glamping | glamorous + camping | luxury camping |
| 26. hangry | hungry + angry | when someone is angry as a result of hunger |
| 27. hazmat | hazardous + material | a material (such as flammable or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without precautions |
| 28. intercom | interconnected + network | a two-way speaker system to communicate amongst people in a specific location |
| 29. jeggings | jeans + leggings | leggings that look like jeans |
| 30. labradoodle | labrador + poodle | hybrid dog breed of a labrador retriever and a poodle |
| 32. listicle | list + article | an article formatted as a list |
| 33. mansplain | man + explain | to explain something (usually to a woman) in a condescending or patronizing manner |
| 34. Medicare | medical + care | the US government’s health insurance program |
| 35. metaverse | meta + universe | a virtual universe/environment for social connection |
| 36. mocktail | mock + cocktail | a cocktail without alcohol |
| 37. motel | motor + hotel | a hotel for motorists |
| 38. newscast | news + broadcast | a radio or television segment that features current events |
| 39. Obamacare | Obama + care | a term that describes the Affordable Care Act under President Barack Obama’s administration |
| 40. pluot | plum + apricot | hybrid fruit that combines a plum and an apricot |
| 41. podcast | iPod + broadcast | an audio program that can be downloaded and listened to |
| 42. popsicle | pop + icicle | a frozen dessert on a stick |
| 43. romcom | romantic + comedy | a movie plot that blends comedy and romance |
| 44. smog | smoke + fog | hazy, polluted air |
| 45. spork | spoon + fork | a utensil that is both a spoon and a fork |
| 46. stash | store + cache | a hiding place to store valuables |
| 47. vlog | video + log | a video diary published online |
| 48. webinar | web + seminar | a presentation or seminar held online |
In review
A portmanteau is a linguistic blend of words, where portions of two separate words are combined to create a new term. The term “portmanteau” itself is a portmanteau, combining the French words “porter” (to carry) and “manteau” (coat), suggesting that these words carry the meanings of the words they blend. Coined by Lewis Carroll in “Through the Looking-Glass,” the word has found its way into mainstream vocabulary, representing a unique form of wordplay.
The term “portmanteau” in its linguistic sense gained prominence in the 19th century. Lewis Carroll’s use of the word to describe words like “smog” (smoke + fog) and “brunch” (breakfast + lunch) showcased the efficiency and expressiveness of this manipulation of words and language.
