Portmanteau word

Origin

Coined by Lewis Carroll in 1872, based on the concept of two words packed together, like a portmanteau (a travelling case having two halves joined by a hinge).

'Well, “slithy” means “lithe and slimy.” “Lithe” is the same as “active”. You see it’s like a portmanteau–there are two meanings packed up into one word.'

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Full definition of portmanteau word

Noun

1. (linguistics) A word which combines the meaning of two words (or, rarely, more than two words), formed by combining the words, usually, but not always, by adjoining the first part of one word and the last part of the other, the adjoining parts often having a common vowel; for example, smog, formed from smoke and fog.

Synonyms

• blend, frankenword, portmanteau, amalgamation