portmanteau
4 synonyms and 0 antonyms for portmanteau, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A word formed by blending the sounds and meanings of two others, such as brunch from breakfast and lunch, or smog from smoke and fog.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A word formed by blending the sounds and meanings of two others, such as brunch from breakfast and lunch, or smog from smoke and fog.
“"Motel" is a portmanteau of motor and hotel.”
2. noun dated
A large travelling case that opens into two equal compartments.
“He hauled a battered leather portmanteau onto the train.”
How to Use Portmanteau
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Sense 1 dominates modern use. The luggage sense is archaic and now mostly literary.
Etymology
From French portemanteau, from porter, "to carry", and manteau, "cloak" — originally a case for carrying clothes. Lewis Carroll used the image in Through the Looking-Glass for words that pack two meanings into one.
Full origin of portmanteau →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a portmanteau and a compound word?
A compound joins two complete words, like toothbrush or bookshop. A portmanteau chops parts off and fuses what is left, like brunch or spork. If you can still see both words intact, it is a compound.
What is the difference between a portmanteau and an acronym?
An acronym is built from the first letters of a phrase, like NASA or laser. A portmanteau blends chunks of sound from two words, like motel or podcast. Acronyms abbreviate; portmanteaus merge.
What are some examples of portmanteau words?
Brunch (breakfast and lunch), smog (smoke and fog), motel (motor and hotel), spork (spoon and fork), emoticon (emotion and icon) and workaholic (work and alcoholic) are all standard examples.