Learn More With These Definitions and Examples
Updated on February 05, 2020
A word blend is formed by combining two separate words with different meanings to form a new one. These words are often created to describe a new invention or phenomenon that combines the definitions or traits of two existing things.
Word Blends and Their Parts
Word blends are also known as portmanteau (pronunciation port-MAN-toe), a French word meaning «trunk» or «suitcase.» Author Lewis Carroll is credited with coining this term in «Through the Looking-Glass,» published in 1871. In that book, Humpty Dumpty tells Alice about making up new words from parts of existing ones:
«You see it’s like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.»
There are different ways of creating word blends. One way is to combine portions of two other words to make a new one. These word fragments are called morphemes, the smallest units of meaning in a language. The word «camcorder,» for example,» combines parts of «camera» and «recorder.» Word blends can also be created by joining a full word with a portion of another word (called a splinter). For example, the word «motorcade» combines «motor» plus a portion of «cavalcade.»
Word blends can also be formed by overlapping or combining phonemes, which are parts of two words that sound alike. One example of an overlapping word blend is «Spanglish,» which is an informal mix of spoken English and Spanish. Blends can also be formed through the omission of phonemes. Geographers sometimes refer to «Eurasia,» the landmass that combines Europe and Asia. This blend is formed by taking the first syllable of «Europe» and adding it to the word «Asia.»
The Blend Trend
English is a dynamic language that is constantly evolving. Many of the words in the English language are derived from ancient Latin and Greek or from other European languages such as German or French. But starting in the 20th century, blended words began to emerge to describe new technologies or cultural phenomena. For instance, as dining out became more popular, many restaurants began serving a new weekend meal in the late morning. It was too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, so someone decided to make a new word that described a meal that was a little bit of both. Thus, «brunch» was born.
As new inventions changed the way people lived and worked, the practice of combining parts of words to make new ones became popular. In the 1920s, as traveling by car became more common, a new kind of hotel that catered to drivers emerged. These «motor hotels» quickly proliferated and became known as «motels.» In 1994, when a rail tunnel beneath the English Channel opened, connecting France and Great Britain, it quickly became known as the «Chunnel,» a word blend of «Channel» and «tunnel.»
New word blends are being created all the time as cultural and technological trends emerge. In 2018, Merriam-Webster added the word «mansplaining» to their dictionary. This blended word, which combines «man» and «explaining,» was coined to describe the habit that some men have of explaining things in a condescending manner.
Examples
Here are some examples of word blends and their roots:
Blended word | Root word 1 | Root word 2 |
agitprop | agitation | propaganda |
bash | bat | mash |
biopic | biography | picture |
Breathalyzer | breath | analyzer |
clash | clap | crash |
docudrama | documentary | drama |
electrocute | electricity | execute |
emoticon | emotion | icon |
fanzine | fan | magazine |
frenemy | friend | enemy |
Globish | global | English |
infotainment | information | entertainment |
moped | motor | pedal |
pulsar | pulse | quasar |
sitcom | situation | comedy |
sportscast | sports | broadcast |
staycation | stay | vacation |
telegenic | television | photogenic |
workaholic | work | alcoholic |
Tip: See my list of the Most Common Mistakes in English. It will teach you how to avoid mistakes with commas, prepositions, irregular verbs, and much more.
English speakers are very creative when it comes to making up new words by combining parts of words that already exist. For example, most people know that “brunch” is a combination of “breakfast” and “lunch”, but did you know that “smog” comes from “smoke” and “fog”?
There are lots and lots of such words in English, many more than in other European languages. One of the reasons for that is, of course, that English has many more speakers than other European languages (with the exception of Spanish), so there are more people who can potentially create a catchy new word.
Nevertheless, I believe that the main reason is much more pragmatic. English is a fairly analytic language, which in linguistic jargon refers to a language that, simply put, conveys the function of a word using word order and things like prepositions rather than endings and prefixes. Words in English are thought of as isolated units, whereas words in other European languages often carry additional information, and it is much easier to merge two isolated units than to merge two words carrying a lot of additional information, some of which would inevitably be lost during merging.
But enough of that theoretical nonsense. Let’s take a look at actual examples of such words in English.
English portmanteaus
A portmanteau is a type of blend word in which the beginning of one word is combined with the final part of another word. For example, it may surprise you that the word “bit” used in computing (as in “megabit”) is a portmanteau of ”binary” and “digit” (its development was probably influenced by the fact that “bit” already was an English word meaning a small amount of something). Sometimes the two parts may overlap, e.g. “smash”, which is composed of “smack” and “mash” with “ma” connecting the two parts.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common portmanteaus in English that are more or less accepted (note that the list excludes brand and product names, which are often based on a portmanteau):
alphanumeric = alphabetic + numeric
advertorial = advertisement + editorial
bit = binary + digit (only in computing)
brainiac = brain + maniac
breathalyzer = breath + analyzer
Brexit = Britain + exit
brunch = breakfast + lunch
camcorder = camera + recorder
dumbfound = dumb (mute) + confound
electrocute = electro- + execute
email = electronic + mail
emoticon = emotion + icon
endorphin = endogenous + morphine
fanzine = fan + magazine
forex = foreign + exchange
guesstimate = guess + estimate
infomercial = information + commercial
keytar = keyboard + guitar
labradoodle = labrador + poodle
mechatronics = mechanics + electronics
metrosexual = metropolitan + heterosexual
moped = motor + pedals (borrowed from Swedish)
motel = motor + hotel
napalm = naphthenic + palmitic
Oxbridge = Oxford + Cambridge (used in the UK to refer collectively to the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge)
newscast = news + broadcast
paratrooper = parachute + troop + -er
phablet = phone + tablet
pulsar = pulsating + star
sexting = sex + texting
sheeple = sheep + people
smash = smack + mash
smog = smoke + fog
Spanglish = Spanish + English
televangelist = television + evangelist
transistor = transconductance or transfer + resistor
vlog = video + blog (itself a shortening of web + log)
vitamin = vital + amine (introduced by a Polish biochemist when it was thought that all vitamins contained an amino acid)
webinar = web + seminar
workaholic = work + -a- + alcoholic
There is also an archaic word “cameleopard”, composed of “camel” and “leopard”, which means “giraffe”. If you are interested in the history of that word (and of the word “giraffe”), you can read my article about them.
Blend words combining the beginnings of two words
Another type of blend words, which are less common than portmanteaus in English, is formed by taking the first part of one word, the first part of another word, and merging them into one word. Here are the most common such words:
Amerind = American + Indian (referring to native Americans)
botox = botulism + toxin
cyborg = cybernetic + organism
cosplay = costume + play
hazmat = hazardeous + mataterial
modem = modulator + demodulator
sitcom = situation + comedy
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It’s possible to combine two words into one when you want to convey a specific meaning relating to both. You can turn something like “list” and “article” into “listicle.” This article will explore the best terms you can use to combine two words into one.
The best terms for combining two words into one are “blend word,” “blending,” and “portmanteau word.” These are the best ways to refer to a word that’s been made out of two completely different words. It’s a great way to show that both words impact the new word’s meaning.
1. Blend Word
“Blend word” is a great phrase to use when words are combined into one. It’s an informal construct, allowing you to create new words based on the fundamental sounds and letters that come from two completely different words.
For example, a “blend word” would be “brunch.” It takes “breakfast” and “lunch” and combines the two words into one. This is an efficient way of using both words more recognisably.
“Blending” is the official term for combining words in this way.
It works best informally because you need to overlook specific grammatical rules to accept certain blend words. For example, “frenemy” means “friend” and “enemy.” It’s not an official word, but it’s widely regarded and understood because of how common the blend is.
The definition of “blend word,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “a word formed by combining two other words.”
- I think they called it “chillaxation.” It’s a blend word combining “chill” and “relaxation.” I think it has a ring to it.
- What is it with all these blend words becoming more popular? I’m not sure I can keep up with the youth of today and their lingo.
- I thought of a few new blend words that could work quite well in these contexts. Let me know which ones you like the best.
2. Blending
“Blending” is the term used when combining two words into a shorter form. You can use it to refer to the action of grouping two words as “blending” is the verb gerund form.
“Blend word” is the noun form, and “blending” is the verb. They both mean the same thing. They allow you to group words to create smaller, informal words and phrases that help you get your point across more efficiently.
- Blending words is super easy. You can say something like “sitcom” or “cosplay.” They take little bits and create big words.
- I love blending words to create new ideas. It’s always exciting to come up with words that nobody has thought of before.
- Blending words is a lot of fun when you know what you’re doing. You should try it sometime to see if it works for you.
3. Portmanteau Word
“Portmanteau word” is a great way to refer to two combined words. It has a French origin relating to a suitcase that opens in two equal parts.
“Portmanteau” is French for “carry case” or “suitcase.” It refers to a suitcase that can be opened into two equal parts. It evolved to mean that two words could combine to create a new word and hold a new meaning that takes equal parts from the original word.
It’s a very common way to refer to a blended word. You could combine something like “jeans” and “leggings” into the popular portmanteau word “jeggings.” It takes an equal meaning from both original words to create a new one.
Nowadays, “portmanteau” is much more common to refer to combined words rather than a suitcase. Most native speakers know it as the phrase used when words like “brunch” or “jeggings” are created.
The definition of “portmanteau word,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “a word formed by combining two other words.”
- What portmanteau words do you know? I’ve heard “biopic” lately, and I’ve been pronouncing it wrong for the longest time!
- I think you should come up with a portmanteau word for that. It’s too wordy, and people will remember it easier if it is shortened.
- This portmanteau word comes from “drama” and “comedy.” A “dramedy” is a great form of theatre that you must watch!
4. Coining
“Coining” is a great phrase to use when new words are developed. It doesn’t refer to combining two words, but it allows you to “coin” a new word if you’ve made one yourself.
For example, if you combine “breakfast” and “lunch” into “brunch,” you could “coin” that word. However, it only applies when you are the first person to do it. Since “brunch” is already accepted as a portmanteau word, you can’t “coin” it yourself.
That doesn’t mean you can’t try to find other words that you can “coin.” There’s no limit to what words you can combine.
- I’m coining a new word from these two. It’s stupid to have to say them individually after all this time.
- You should try coining your own blend of the words. I think it’ll be really interesting to come up with something new.
- He’s managed to coin that word on his own. I was quite surprised that he was able to be that creative with it.
5. Compounding
“Compounding” refers to combining two words into one. However, it works very differently from the other words in this article. You need to know the difference before using “compounding” correctly.
“Compounding” takes two full words and combines them without removing any letters. For example, “back” and “drop” can compound to become “backdrop.”
You cannot call it “compounding” when combining two words into a more informal word (i.e. “chill” and “relax” becoming “chillax” is not compounding).
“Compounding” is the official grammatical term used when two words combine to become a compound noun or adjective. You might also find a hyphen comes between the words (mainly when using adjectives).
- Compounding words only work when you need them to be in the same breath. Something like “football” or “cupcake” works here.
- You should try compounding those words. They’re used together enough times that people expect them to be written like that.
- I’m not sure what compounding those words is going to do for the sentence. You should try something else.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
Within
the domain of syntax two levels should be distinguished: that of
phrases and that of sentences.
The
phrase can generally be defined as a combination of two or more words
which is a grammatical unit but is not an analytical form of some
word. The constituent elements of a phrase may belong to any part of
speech. A word-combination can also be defined as a compound
nominative unit of speech which is semantically global and
articulated.
The
difference between a phrase and a sentence is a fundamental one. A
phrase is a means of naming some phenomena or processes, just as a
word is. Each component of a phrase can undergo grammatical changes
while a sentence is a unit with every word having its definite form.
A change in the form of one or more words would produce a new
sentence.
Grammar
has to study the
aspects of phrases which spring from the grammatical peculiarities of
the words making up the phrase, and of the syntactical functions
of the phrase as a whole, while lexicology has to deal with the
lexical meaning of the words and their semantic groupings. For
example from
the grammatical point of view the two phrases
read
letters and
invite
friends are
identical (the
same pattern verb +
noun
indicating the object of the
action).
Phrases
can be divided according
to their function in the sentence into:
(1)
those
which
perform the function of one or more parts of the sentence (predicate,
or predicate and object, or predicate and adverbial
modifier, etc.)
(2)
those
which do not perform any such function
but whose function is equivalent to that of a preposition, or
conjunction, and which are equivalents
of those parts of speech.
1.3. Syntagmatic Connections of Words.
Words
in an utterance form various syntagmatic connections with one
another:
-
syntagmatic
groupings of notional words alone,
Such
groups (notional phrases) have self-dependent nominative destination,
they denote complex phenomena and their properties (semi-predicative
combinations): a
sudden trembling; a soul in pain; hurrying along the stream;
strangely familiar; so sure of their aims.
-
syntagmatic
groupings of notional words with functional words,
Such
combinations (formative phrases) are equivalent to separate words by
their nominative function: with
difficulty; must finish; but a moment; and Jimmy; too cold; so
unexpectedly.
They are contextually dependent (synsemantism).
-
syntagmatic
groupings of functional words alone.
They
are analogous to separate functional words and are used as connectors
and specifiers of notional elements:
from out of; up to; so that; such as; must be able; don’t let’s.
Combinations
of notional
words
fall into two mutually opposite types:
1)
combinations of words related to one another on an equal rank
(equipotent
combinations)
2)
combinations of words which are syntactically unequal (dominational
combinations)
Equipotent
connection
is realised with the help of conjunctions (syndetically), or without
the help of conjunctions (asyndetically):
prose and poetry; came and went; on the beach or in the water; quick
but not careless; —
no
sun, no moon; playing, chatting, laughing; silent, immovable, gloomy;
Mary’s, not John’s.
The
constituents of such combinations form coordinative consecutive
connections.
Alongside
of these, there exist equipotent connections of a non-consecutive
type. In such combinations a sequential element is unequal to the
foregoing element in its character of nomination connections is
classed as (cumulative connections): agreed,
but reluctantly; satisfied, or nearly so.
Dominational
connection
is effected in such a way that one of the constituents of the
combination is principal (dominating/headword) and the other is
subordinate (dominated/adjunct, adjunct-word, expansion).
Dominational
connection can be both consecutive
and cumulative:
a
careful observer; an observer, seemingly careful; definitely out of
the point;
out
of the point, definitely; will be helpful in any case will be
helpful;
at
least, in some cases.
The
two basic types of dominational connection are:
-
bilateral
(reciprocal, two-way) domination (in predicative connection of
words); -
monolateral
(one-way) domination (in completive connection of words).
The
predicative connection
of words, uniting the subject and the predicate, builds up the basis
of the sentence. The nature of this connections is reciprocal (the
subject dominates the predicate and vice versa).
Such
word combinations are divided into:
-
complete
predicative combinations (the subject + the finite verb-predicate); -
incomplete
predicative/semi-predicative/potentially-predicative combinations (a
non-finite verbal form + a substantive element): for
the pupil to understand his mistake; the pupil’s understanding his
mistake;
the
pupil understanding his mistake.
Monolateral
domination is considered as subordinative since the syntactic status
of the whole combination is determined by the head-word:
a nervous wreck. astonishingly beautiful.
The
completive connections fall into two main divisions:
-
objective
connections -
qualifying
connections.
Objective
connections
reflect the relation of the object to the process. By their form
these connections are subdivided into:
-
non-prepositional;
-
prepositional.
From
the semantico-syntactic point of view they are classed as:
-
direct
(the immediate transition of the action to the object); -
indirect
or oblique (the indirect relation of the object to the process).
Direct
objective connections are non-prepositional, the preposition serving
as an intermediary of combining words by its functional nature.
Indirect objective connections may be both prepositional and
non-prepositional.
Further
subdivision of objective connections is realised on the basis of
subcategorising the elements of objective combinations, and first of
all the verbs; thus, we recognise objects of immediate action, of
perception, of speaking, etc.
Qualifying
completive connections
are divided into
-
attributive
(an
enormous appetite; an emerald ring; a woman of strong character, the
case for the prosecution);
They
unite a substance with its attribute expressed by an adjective or a
noun.
-
adverbial:
-
primary
(the verb + its adverbial modifiers):
to talk glibly, to come nowhere; to receive (a letter) with
surprise; to throw (one’s arms) round a person’s neck; etc -
secondary
(the non-verbal headword expressing a quality + its adverbial
modifiers):
marvellously becoming; very much at ease; strikingly alike; no
longer oppressive; unpleasantly querulous; etc.
-
Completive
noun combinations are directly related to whole sentences
(predicative combinations of words): The
arrival of the train → The train arrived. The baked potatoes →
The potatoes are baked. The gifted pupil → The pupil has a gift.
Completive
combinations of adjectives and adverbs (adjective-phrases and
adverb-phrases) are indirectly related to predicative constructions:
utterly
neglected — utter neglect — The neglect is utter; very carefully
— great carefulness — The carefulness is great; speechlessly
reproachful — speechless reproach
— The reproach is speechless.
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Compound words consist of two words which can be used independently, but when joined together as one word or with a hyphen, form a new word. The funny thing with this is it can be quite hard to spot compound words. Think about the word “airport.” It consists of two base words: “air” and “port,” but we are so used to using the word as one word, most of us don’t really notice it’s a compound word.
Closed Form Compound Words
“Airport” is an example of a closed form compound word. The two words are joined together without a hyphen or a space. Some other examples of closed form compound words include:
- Baseball
- Windfall
- Extraordinary
- Metaphysical
- Worldwide
- Northwest
- Stockbroker
- Sailboat
- Railway
- Wildcat
- Birthday
Open From Compound Words
These words look a lot like two independent words, but they aren’t because they describe a single thing. Here are a few examples of open form compound words you are likely familiar with:
- Flight attendant
- Super tanker
- African American
- Light year
- Post office
- Real estate
- Truck driver
- Middle class
- Attorney general
- High school
- Vice president
Think about it. If you took either the first or the second word out of the two-word combo, it would no longer mean the same thing. Is “little sister” a compound word? No, it isn’t. Take the word “little” away, and you still have a sister. You both have the same parents.
Now take “flight” away from “flight attendant”. Does it still mean the same thing? No, it doesn’t. A flight attendant has a very specific job. An attendant can be any person who attends to your needs. It isn’t even necessarily a job. As for the vice president, he or she may be happy to be promoted to president, but that hasn’t happened.
Hyphenated Compound Words
Here’s where it all gets rather tricky. Some hyphenated compounds are always hyphenated (jack-in-the-box) but others may be hyphenated on certain occasions and are not hyphenated at other times. Sometimes, you may hyphenate for clarity. For example:
“Old furniture salesman”
“Old-furniture salesman”
In the first example, it isn’t clear whether the salesman or the furniture are old. For all we know, the phrase may be describing an elderly salesman. Example two is clearer. We can see that the furniture is old, and we don’t have to worry about offending the salesman by accidentally creating the wrong impression.
To a certain extent, it’s a matter of frequency of usage. For example, we are so accustomed to used car salesmen, that we wouldn’t even wonder whether the word “used” refers to the car or the guy. Now check this out:
Example 1
“She was a part-time teacher.”
“The teacher worked part time.”
Example 2
“It was a very high-speed chase.”
“The chase was very high speed.”
“High-speed” and “Part-time” are known as modifiers. They modify nouns. When a modifier appears before a noun, you would hyphenate it. When it appears after the noun, you don’t bother with hyphenating.
Other modifiers that are sometimes hyphenated, and sometimes not:
- Five-yard-long
- Fire-resistant
- Short-term
- Good-looking
- Blue-grey
- Second-rate
The decision of whether to hyphenate or not is based on the location of the noun these compound words modify.
When Never to Use a Hyphen (plus exceptions)
A word ending in “ly” will rarely form part of a hyphenated compound. Think about word combinations like:
- Newly minted
- Hotly contested
But when you are using a whole phrase as an adjective, you might use hyphens all the same: “The ever-so-slightly embarrassed salesman continued with his pitch.”
Compounds with prefixes such as “pre”, “post” or “mid” are usually used in the closed form:
- Postpartum
- Preeminent
- Midseason
But there are masses of exceptions to this rule, so it’s best to check using a dictionary. If you aren’t able to check a dictionary, you can work around the issue. For instance, if you’re not sure whether “mid-June” should be hyphenated, you could also say “the middle of June”. As a bonus, this helps with word count.
Compounds That Always Have Hyphens
You can be sure of these ones. They aren’t nearly as hard to pin down:
- Numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine
- Fractions expressed completely in numbers: “Two-thirds” or “one-third,” but “a third” is a third and doesn’t need a hyphen.
- Self, Ex and All when used as prefixes will require a hyphen: “ex-president,” “self-expression,” “all-knowing.”
- Style, elect, free and based will usually be preceded by a hyphen when used as suffixes: “French-style,” “president-elect,” “Chicago-based.”
Compounds can be complicated. Almost all the work you read on compounds will tell you that open versus hyphenated forms are complicated. Most of them suggest a dictionary check when you’re unsure, and I don’t think there’s any shame in that. I find it pretty confusing too. Nevertheless, I hope this blog post will put you on the road to knowing when to use the hyphen and when you not to do so.