Also known as ‘portmanteau words’, these words combine the meanings of two different words. Portmanteaus have been in use for centuries. A portmanteau is a literary device which joins two or more words to create a new word. The word ‘portmanteau’ itself is a portmanteau. It comes from the two French words ‘porter’ (meaning ‘to carry’) and ‘manteau’ (meaning ‘cloak’). These words are increasingly being used in modern day English, whether in formal or in colloquial contexts. In this blog, we look at 15 such words. You probably know most of them!   

1. Brunch (breakfast+lunch)

Brunch is the name given to the late morning meal that is eaten instead of breakfast and lunch.

2. Smog (smoke+fog)

Smog, or ‘smoke fog’ is a type of high intensity air pollution. Its name comes from its smoky foggy appearance. 

3. Stagflation (stagnation+inflation)

Stagflation is a phenomenon in economics where there is a high rate of inflation coupled with a slowdown in economic growth.

4. Infomercial (information+commercial)

An infomercial is a form of advertising which promotes a product, service or idea in a manner that is informative and spreads awareness. 

5. Edutainment (education+entertainment)

When a game, TV show or any other form of media is intended to be both educational and enjoyable it is called edutainment.

6. Mockumentary (mock+documentary)

A mockumentary is a film or television show that is in the form of a documentary but is intended to entertain by satirising its subject.

7. Cosplay (costume+play)

A cosplay is an activity or performance in which people dress up as a television, film or video game character. 

8. Dramedy (drama+comedy)

A dramedy is a television show or movie that combines elements of drama and comedy.

9. Chillax (chill+relax)

Telling someone to chillax means telling them to chill out and relax. 

10. Ginormous (gigantic+enormous)

Describing something as ginormous means it is extraordinarily large in size.

11. Workaholic (working+alcoholic)

A workaholic is a person who works compulsively, often at the cost of other activities and even personal health.

12. Shopaholic (shopping+alcoholic)

A shopaholic is a person who is a compulsive shopper. Shopaholics love to make purchases at every opportunity they get. 

13. Cyborg (cybernetic+organism)

A cyborg is a fictional or a hypothetical character who, with inbuilt mechanical components in their body, possesses abilities greater than those of normal human beings.

14. Webinar (web+seminar)

A webinar is a seminar that is conducted over the internet and is attended by an online audience.

15. Gastropub (gastronomy+pub)

A gastropub is a pub that serves both alcoholic drinks and food. Gastropubs are essentially hybrid bars and restaurants.

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