portmanteau

[ pawrt-man-toh, pawrt-man-toh ]

noun

, plural port·man·teaus, port·man·teaux [pawrt-, man, -tohz, -toh, pawrt-man-, tohz, -, toh].

1. Chiefly British. a case or bag to carry clothing in while traveling, especially a leather trunk or suitcase that opens into two halves.
2. Linguistics.
   1. Also called port·man·teau word. a word that combines the form and meaning of two or more other words; a blend.
   2. Also called port·man·teau morph. a phonological unit of more than one morpheme, as French au (to the) from à to + le masculine article, which realizes a preposition and the definite article; a single morph that is analyzed as representing two underlying morphemes.
3. something that combines or blends several items, features, or qualities:

   I've gathered a portmanteau of ideas from my colleagues.

adjective

1. combining or blending several items, features, or qualities:

   a portmanteau film with two good stories.

portmanteau

/ pɔːtˈmæntəʊ /

noun

1. (formerly) a large travelling case made of stiff leather, esp one hinged at the back so as to open out into two compartments
2. modifier embodying several uses or qualities

   the heroine is a portmanteau figure of all the virtues

Word History and Origins

Origin of portmanteau¹

From French portemanteau literally, “(it) carries (the) cloak”; port ⁵, mantle; portmanteau def 1 was first recorded in 1575–85, and portmanteau def 2a in 1871 in Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll.

Word History and Origins

Origin of portmanteau¹

C16: from French: cloak carrier, from porter to carry + manteau cloak, mantle

Example Sentences

Endorphin is a portmanteau of “endogenous opioid” and in fact drugs like morphine and fentanyl only work in our bodies because they mimic the effects of these innate peptides.

From Salon

Rampant fast-flation — a portmanteau of fast food and inflation — has made even the simplest of fast foods unattainable for many Americans, compelling them to eat more meals at home instead of dining out.

From Salon

Scientists designated the objects "quasars," as a portmanteau of a "quasi-stellar" object.

From Science Daily

They named it Miss Millie Pollywog, a portmanteau of Earhart’s nickname and sailor’s slang for someone who hasn’t crossed the Equator.

From Los Angeles Times

Shrinkflation, a portmanteau of the words shrink and inflation, is a decades-old strategy where items shrink in size or quantity — sometimes even quality — while their prices remain the same.

From Salon