portmanteau
Americannoun
-
portmanteaus,
plural
-
portmanteaux
plural
-
Chiefly British. a case or bag to carry clothing in while traveling, especially a leather trunk or suitcase that opens into two halves.
-
Linguistics.
-
Also called portmanteau word. a word that combines the form and meaning of two or more other words; a blend.
-
Also called portmanteau 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.
-
-
something that combines or blends several items, features, or qualities.
I've gathered a portmanteau of ideas from my colleagues.
adjective
noun
-
(formerly) a large travelling case made of stiff leather, esp one hinged at the back so as to open out into two compartments
-
(modifier) embodying several uses or qualities
the heroine is a portmanteau figure of all the virtues
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of portmanteau
From French portemanteau literally, “(it) carries (the) cloak”; see 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.
Explanation
A portmanteau is a large suitcase. The word comes from French porter "carry" and manteau "mantle, or cloak" — so it's what you carry your clothes in. Or, a portmanteau is a word made by combining two other words. You might remember portmanteau from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, where Humpty Dumpty explains to Alice the portmanteau word, in which "two meanings are packed up into one word." So, according to Humpty Dumpty, slithy means "lithe and slimy," and mimsy is "flimsy and miserable." You can make your own portmanteau words, and here are some examples for inspiration: smog (smoke + fog); brunch (breakfast + lunch), sitcom (situation + comedy), and infomercial (information + commercial).
Vocabulary lists containing portmanteau
Frankenstein
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
English Words Derived from French, List 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Dracula
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
About 100 years after the meal spanning weekend mornings and afternoons first gained popularity in America, brunch—a portmanteau originally coined in England in the late 19th century—has by no means disappeared.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Wall Street loves an ugly portmanteau, or jamming together of two words in a way that sows confusion, followed closely by dislike.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
SaaSpocalypse is the portmanteau combining the acronym for software-as-a-service, SaaS, with apocalypse.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 24, 2026
The Chinatown gallery name derives from that studio moniker, itself a portmanteau of “Mutant” and “Potato.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2025
No one answered; but a form emerged from the closet; it took the light, held it aloft, and surveyed the garments pendent from the portmanteau.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
The goofiest of these portmanteaus, and one of the more enduring, involved the carryall.
From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2021
Before landing on the Greek alphabet, the organization’s expert panel had also considered drawing variant names from a list of portmanteaus or Greek gods/goddesses, but both ideas were nixed.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2021
In that first iteration, the anonymous writer explained “hatriot” in almost bemused terms as just one then recent example of portmanteaus like “Republocrat”.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 7, 2019
And with portmanteaus like “cronut” and “Sharknado” all the rage, we’re particularly on the lookout for fresh phrasing.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 7, 2013
The portmanteaus were packed, their travelling gear arranged, and tickets had been secured for the night mail, via Dover and Calais.
From The Child Wife by Mayne Reid
Pantulu stepped out of the carriage and directed the driver to place the two leather portmanteaux on the steps.
From The Outcaste by F. E. Penny
He had apparently arranged for the transmission of his luggage, inasmuch as the portmanteaux, three in number, were taken on by the coach when that indispensable vehicle arrived in due course.
From The Crooked Stick or Pollies's Probation by Rolf Boldrewood
For a single man, two boxes! five bags! portmanteaux!
From Six Women and the Invasion by Gabrielle Yerta
The person spoken of as Antony now appeared, and began to hale about Violet's portmanteaux.
From Vixen, Volume III. by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon
"The more the better, my dear," said the general, graciously,—and everyone within hearing distance was edified by his directions freely delivered anent portmanteaux and dress-baskets.
From Leonore Stubbs by L. B. Walford
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
