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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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 |
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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.
The ‘Word Formation Process’ is regarded as the branch of Morphology, and it has a significant role in expanding the vocabulary that helps us communicate very smoothly. The main objectives of the word-formation process are to form new words with the same root by deploying different rules or processes.
In other words, we can say that the word-formation process is a process in which new words are formed by modifying the existing terms or completely changing those words.
Let us see the fundamental word-formation processes in linguistics:
Derivation
‘Derivation’ is a significant word-formation process that attaches derivation affixes to the main form to create a new word. Affixes (prefixes or suffixes) are regarded as bound morphemes.
A morpheme is the smallest meaningful syntactical or grammar unit of a language that cannot be divided without changing its meaning. In contrast to the free morpheme, a bound morpheme doesn’t have any independent meaning, and it needs the help of a free morpheme to form a new word.
Let us see some examples of derivation in the below table:
| Base Forms | New Words |
| Appear | Disappear |
| Justice | Injustice |
| Lighten | Enlighten |
| Friend | Friendship |
| Happy | Happiness |
Back Formation
‘Back-Formation’ is a word-formation process that eliminates the actual derivational affix from the main form to create a new word. However, Back-Formation is contrary to derivation in terms of forming new words. Let us see some examples of Back-Formation in the below table:
| Base Forms | Back Formation |
| Insertion | Insert |
| Donation | Donate |
| Precession | Process |
| Obsessive | Obsess |
| Resurrection | Resurrect |
Conversion
In conversion, a word of one grammatical form converts into another without changing spelling or pronunciation. For example, the term ‘Google’ originated as a noun before the verb.
A few years ago, we only used the term as a noun (search it on Google), but now we say ‘Google it. Let us see some examples of conversion in the below table:
| Noun | To Verb |
| Access | – to access |
| – to google | |
| – to email | |
| Name | – to name |
| Host | – to host |
| Verb | To Noun |
| To hope | Hope |
| To cover | Cover |
| To increase | Increase |
| To attack | Attack |
Compounding
‘Compounding’ is a word-formation process that allows words to combine to make a new word. Compounding words can be formed as two words joined with a hyphen. Let us see some examples in the below table:
| Words | Compounding Words |
| Class+room | Classroom |
| Note+book | Notebook |
| Break+up | Breakup |
| Brother+in+law | Brother in law |
| High+light | Highlight |
Clipping
‘Clipping’ is another essential word-formation process that reduces or shortens a word without changing the exact meaning. In contrast to the back-formation process, it reserves the original meaning.
Clipping is divided into four types. They are:
- Back Clipping
- Fore Clipping
- Middle Clipping
- Complex Clipping
Every Clipping has different roles in words when they are assigned. Back Clipping removes the end part of a word; Fore Clipping removes the beginning part of a word; Middle Clipping reserves the middle position. Finally, Complex Clipping removes multiple pieces from multiple words.
Let us see some examples in the below table:
| Words | Clippings |
| Advertisement | Ad |
| Photograph | Photo |
| Telephone | Phone |
| Influenza | Flue |
| Cabletelegram | Cablegram |
Blending
In the ‘Blending’ word-formation method, the parts of two or more words combine to form a new word. Let us see some examples in the below table:
| Words | Blendings |
| Breakfast+lunch | Brunch |
| Biographical+picture | Biopic |
| Motor+hotel | Motel |
| Spanish+English | Spanglish |
| Telephone+marathon | Telethon |
Abbreviation
‘Abbreviation’ is another famous and widely used word-formation method used to shorten a word or phrase. In the modern era, ‘Abbreviation is becoming more popular. Nowadays, people used to use it everywhere. Let us see some examples in the below table:
| Words/Phrases | Abbreviation |
| Junior | Jr. |
| Mister | Mr. |
| Mistress | Miss. |
| Doctor | Dr. |
| Department | Dept. |
| Bachelor of Arts | B.A. |
| Master of Arts | M.A. |
| Master of Business Administration | MBA |
Acronyms
An Acronym is a popular word-formation process in which an initialism is pronounced as a word. It forms from the first letter of each word in a phrase, and the newly formed letters create a new word that helps us speedy communication. For example, ‘PIN’ is an initialism for Personal Identification Number used as the word ‘pin.’
However, let us see some other famous examples of acronyms in the below table for a better understanding:
| Acronyms | Words/Phrases |
| HIV | Human Immunodeficiency Virus |
| AIDS | Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| ASAP | As Soon As Possible |
| AWOL | Absent Without Leave |
Borrowing
‘Borrowing’ is another word-formation process in which a word from one language is borrowed directly into another language. Let us see some English words which are borrowed from another language:
| Algebra | Arabic |
| Cherub | Hebrew |
| Murder | French |
| Pizza | Italian |
| Tamale | Spanish |
Conclusion
Now we know that Word-Formation Processes are the methods by which words are formed by deploying different types of rules. We can create new words by following the above word-formation methods.
We need to do one thing: we have to follow the fundamental rules or processes of word formation.
Azizul Hakim is the founder & CEO of englishfinders.com. He is a passionate writer, English instructor, and content creator. He has completed his graduation and post-graduation in English language and literature.