portmanteau word

British  

noun

1. another name for blend

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Etymology

Origin of portmanteau word

C19: from the idea that two meanings are packed into one word

Example Sentences

“Smog” is a turn-of-the-century portmanteau word mashing together “smoke” and “fog” to describe the sooty, sulfurous air of the London of Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

With titles like “Shape Up, Says Doctor Death” and “Everybody Has a Fatal Disease,” not to mention the darkly comical portmanteau word “cremaindered,” she exhibits gallows humor.

From New York Times • Jun. 24, 2020

Rarely does an ancient Greek portmanteau word spark a Twitterstorm.

From The Guardian • Apr. 18, 2018

Tokarev, whose real first name — Vilen — is a portmanteau word for Vladimir Lenin, told the Associated Press he wrote the song after friends who also know Trump asked him to compose something.

From Time • Jan. 19, 2017

Yep, her name is a portmanteau word, which means it’s made up of two different words.

From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander