What is a “portmanteau” word?
A portmanteau is a word created by blending two words together, like:
- Brunch (breakfast + lunch)
- Smog (smoke + fog)
- Motel (motor + hotel)
📜 History: The term “portmanteau” was first used in this sense by Lewis Carroll in 1871 in Through the Looking-Glass. He described words like “slithy” (slimy + lithe) as “portmanteau words” because, like a suitcase (portmanteau in French), they hold two things in one.
🤔 Trivia: Modern portmanteau words include “Netflix” (Internet + flicks) and “blog” (web + log).
