What does portmanteau mean?
A portmanteau is a word formed by combining elements of two or more words, usually in a way that merges their meanings. Familiar examples include “brunch,” from breakfast and lunch, and “smog,” from smoke and fog. The term can apply to blends that have become established as well as to newly invented expressions, particularly in journalism, advertising, and informal online language. It is especially useful in lexicography because it distinguishes a blend from an ordinary compound: both parts contribute their meanings to the resulting word. A portmanteau may also be coined for convenience, wit, or brevity, though it can sound contrived if its construction is forced. The word comes from French and was brought into English as a metaphor by Lewis Carroll in the nineteenth century. Today it is principally a technical term in language study but is also widely understood and used for creative coinages.
nounA word formed by blending two or more words or parts of words, usually so that the new word expresses a combined meaning.
- A word or phrase formed by blending two or more words or parts of words, especially so that it expresses a combined meaning.
- Formerly, a travelling bag or case used to carry clothing or other belongings.
"“Brunch,” a blend of “breakfast” and “lunch,” is a familiar portmanteau."
"The magazine coined a portmanteau to capture the culture of working remotely while travelling."
"Lexicographers use the term portmanteau for a blend such as “smog,” which combines smoke and fog."
The regular plural is formed by adding “-s.”
"The linguist collected newly coined portmanteaus from contemporary writing."
Lewis Carroll gave us the word in 1871, when Humpty Dumpty described words with “two meanings packed into one.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does portmanteau come from?
The word comes from French portemanteau, denoting a travelling bag or cloak and formed from porter, “to carry,” and manteau, “cloak.” Lewis Carroll introduced the modern linguistic sense in Through the Looking-Glass (1871), where Humpty Dumpty explains that certain words have “two meanings packed into one word.” Carroll applied the name of a combined carrying case to a word whose elements and meanings are combined.
How portmanteau is actually used
In linguistics and lexicography, the term specifically denotes a blend whose elements also contribute to the resulting meaning. In general usage, it is often used for a newly coined blend and may suggest novelty, informality, or playfulness.