noun
a new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings
-
`smog' is a blend of `smoke' and `fog'
-
`motel' is a portmanteau word made by combining `motor' and `hotel'
-
`brunch' is a well-known portmanteau
• Syn: ↑blend, ↑portmanteau
• Members of this Usage Domain:
* * *
a word that is invented by combining the beginning of one word and the end of another and keeping the meaning of each. For example motel is a portmanteau word that is a combination of motor and hotel.
Word Origin:
[portmanteau word] portmanteau coined, in this sense, by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking Glass (1871).
Useful english dictionary. 2012.