A portmanteau word is formed by blending parts of two or more words but it always refers to a single concept.
The coinage of portmanteau involves the linking and blending of two or more words and the new word formed in the process shares the same meanings as the original words. It is different from a compound word in that it could have a completely different meaning from the words that it was coined from.
For example, the word “brunch” is formed by splicing two words “breakfast” and “lunch”. The spliced parts “br-” and “-unch” are blended to form a portmanteau word “brunch” which is the meal taken between breakfast and lunch.
Here are five more words you probably would not believe exist in the English dictionary:
- 1. bromance(brother/romance):a close relationship between two men.
- His bromance with Peter is enviable.
- 2. frenemy (friend/enemy): someone who pretends to be a friend but whose actions are more characteristic of an enemy.
- I have a frenemy who seems unhappy with my progress, although he smiles at me.
- 3. guesstimate (guess + estimate): to estimate without solid facts or figures.
- You can only guesstimate the total amount spent on your university education.
- 4. Sexploitation(sex/exploitation):the commercial exploitation of sex, sexual attractiveness, or sexually explicit material.
- The young ladies trafficked faced sexploitation by the mafia.
- 5. Chillax (chill/ relax): calm down and relax.
- You are always in haste to make decisions, chillax and decide wisely.
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