“Portmanteau” words pack two meanings into one word by taking part of one word and adding it to part of another. Such words have a long history, and probably a long future, as new words are created every day.
I am compiling a dictionary of such words and I need some help with more suggestions of other such hybrid words, and whether they are recent or long established, or just made up, as many writers from Shakespeare and Milton to Charles Dickens and Lewis Carroll have done.
Please help me to make this an authoritative ancient and modern list of portmanteau words (and, of course, “portmanteau” is one such, albeit using two French words) and by improving my definitions where needed!
Portmanteau words already in circulation
Affluenza, (affluence/influenza): anxiety or dissatisfaction caused by submission to consumerism
Alcopop, (alcohol/pop): a fizzy drink incorporating alcohol
Anacronym, (anachronism/acronym): an acronym derived from a phrase no longer widely known (for example, radar)
Anticipointment, (anticipation/disappointment): the letdown after hope gives way to reality
Avionics, (aviation/electronics): the electronics of aviation
Backronym, (back/acronym): a word presented as an acronym after the fact
Bit, (binary/digit): a measurement of computing power
Blaxploitation, (black/exploitation): a genre of entertainment that uses clichés about black people
Blog, (web/log): A diary or regular commentary written online
Bodacious (bold/audacious): insolent or unrestrained, extraordinary or impressively large,
Bonk, (bang/conk): to hit or, more recently, to engage in sexual intercourse
Bootylicious, (booty/delicious): a delightful bottom
Brainiac, (brain/maniac): someone who is crazily clever
Breathalyzer, (breath/analyzer): an instrument to check for alcohol intoxication
Bromance, (brother/romance): close friendship between men
Brunch, (breakfast/lunch): a large mid-morning meal, replacing both breakfast and lunch
Camcorder, (camera/recorder): a video camera
Celebutant(e) (celebrity/debutant(e)): someone famous only for being famous
Cheeseburger, (cheese/hamburger): a hamburger with a slice of melted cheese
Chocoholic, (chocolate/alcoholic): someone addicted to chocolate consumption
Chillax, (chill/relax): behave, calm down, or relax
Chortle, (chuckle/snort): chuckle while snorting
Chuggers, (charity/muggers): those who collect money aggressively from people for charity
Chunnel, (channel/tunnel): a tunnel under the English Channel)
Clamato, (clam/tomato): a juice of tomato and cooked clams
Cremains, (cremated/remains): the ashes of a dead body following cremation
Cyberpunk, (cybernetics/punk): music partly punk and partly cyber or techno
E-commerce, (electronic/commerce): Online selling and purchasing
Ebonics, (ebony/phonics): the dialects and language of black people
Edutainment, (education/entertainment): educational material with entertainment value)
Electrocution, (electricity/execution): death by an administered electric shock
Email, (electronic/mail): electronic mail
Emoticon, (emotion/icon): a symbol used to express emotion in text
Endorphin, (endogenous/morphine):
Epigenetics, (epigenesis/genetics):
Escalator, (escalate/elevator): a moving set of steps that convey people from the bottom to the top
Faction, (fact/fiction): fiction that is written as fact, and fact that is written as fiction
Fantabulous, (fantastic/fabulous): excitingly and inspiringly wonderful and marvellous
Fanzine, (fan/magazine): a magazine, blog or newsletter for those fanatically dedicated to a particular idea, person or sports team
Femdom, (female/dominance): a dominant female (usually in a sexual context)
Franglais, (French/English): a mixture of French and English in the same sentences
Frankenfood (Frankenstein/food): pejorative term for genetically modified food
Frappuccino, (frappé/cappuccino): a cold cappuccino drunk as a milk shake, often with ice
Gaydar, (gay/radar): the presumed ability to identify homosexuals by appearance and/or behaviour
Gerrymander, (Elbridge Gerry/salamander): corruptly to influence voting and elections unfairly
Ginormous, (gigantic/enormous): extremely big
Greenwash, (green/whitewash) to cover something up in language that suggested environmental friendliness
Guestimate, (guess/estimate): a guessed estimate
Heliport, (helicopter/airport): a landing place for helicopters
Hi-tech, (high/technology): advanced technology
Hollyweird, (Hollywood/weird): A description of the bizarre values of the movie industry in and around Los Angeles, California
Infotainment, (information/entertainment): information presented in a format intended to attract with its entertainment value
Internet, (international/network): an internationally connected computer network
Interpol, (international/police): an international police authority with certain defined transnational police powers
Irregardless, (irrespective/regardless): an elision of two words close in meaning
Jeggings, (jeans/leggings): an item of clothing
Labradoodle, (Labrador Retriever/Poodle): a dog
Laundromat, (laundry/automatic) a place where you can wash your own clothes in a large washing machine
Liger, (lion/tiger): the progeny of a male lion and a tigress
Manbag, (man/handbag): the handbag of a man
Medicare, (medical/care) the name of the US public health insurance programme
Metrosexual (metropolitan/heterosexual): a man who appears to be inordinately concerned about personal aesthetics and/or is perceived for this quality as being homosexual
Mockney, (mock/Cockney): a fake London accent
Mockumentary, (mock/documentary): a fake televised feaure programme
Modem, (MOdulator/DEModulator): a device that converts a telephone line for use by computers on the internet
Moobs, (man/boobs): feminine-type breasts on a male
Moped, (motor/pedal): a low power motor bike for which pedalling may also be necessary
Motel, (motor/hotel): a hotel suited for car drivers, where the car can be parked easily
Motorcade, (motorcar/cavalcade) : an organized procession of cars
Napalm, (naphthene/palmitate): chemicals used in bombing
Netiquette, (Internet/etiquette): behaviour while on-line or using emails
Netizen, (Internet/citizen): a regular user of the internet
Newscast, (news/broadcast): the news broadcast
Oxbridge, (Oxford/Cambridge): Two English universities that can be seen as interchangeable
Paratroop, (parachute/troop): airborne soldier
Permalink, (permanent/link): a permanent link
Pixel, (picture/element): a measurement of focus in a photograph published online
Podcast, (iPod/broadcast): a broadcast online
Prissy, (prim/sissy): a way of appearing, behaving or dressing
Reaganomics, (Ronald Reagan/economics): economic policy influenced or created by Ronald Reagan
Rogernomics, (Roger Douglas/economics): economic policy influenced or created by Roger Douglas
Rollicking, (rolling/frolicking): exuberant activity
Ruckus, (ruction/rumpus): violent and anti-social behaviour
Sci-Fi, (science/fiction): pertaining to science fiction
Sexpert, (sex/expert): those who give advice about sexual matters
Sexploitation, (sex/exploitation): sexual exploitation
Sexting, (Sex/texting): texting on sexual matters
Shopaholic, (shop/alcoholic): someone addicted to shopping
Sitcom, (situation/comedy): a comedy portraying everyday life
Skyjack, (sky/hijack): the hijack of an aeroplane while in flight
Smog, (smoke/fog): fog mixed with smoke
Snark, (snide/remark): a snide or sarcastic attitude
Spanglish, (Spanish/English) language mixed up to humorous effect
Splurge, (splash/surge): often used as a description of careless spending of money
Stagflation, (stagnation/inflation): inflation in an apparently lifeless economy
Staycation, (stay/vacation): staying at home as a holiday
Surfactant, (surface/active agent): a chemical compound that does not mix with other liquids
Telecast, (television/broadcast): a televised broadcast
Telecom, (telephone/Communication): communications carried on telephone lines
Telethon, (telephone or television/marathon): a televised programme designed to raise money
Televangelist, (television/evangelist): a religious broadcaster
Tex-Mex, (Texan/Mexican): Texan and Mexican, often describes a way of cooking
Transistor, (transfer/resistor): electrical combination allowing radio reception
Transponder, (transmitter/responder): a device that allows transmission and reception, often used on satellites
Webinar, (web/seminar): a seminar presented online
Wikipedia, (Wiki/encyclopedia): an application presented in an encyclopedia or dictionary format that allows collaborative modification of its content and structure.
Workaholic, (work/alcoholic): someone who works obsessively long and/or hard
Please add more portmanteau words, whether already in existence or not. Words are not dependent upon their use for their meaning….
