Portmanteau Words

The standard linguistic term for this type of word is a blend. It was Lewis Carroll in Through The Looking Glass who coined the word portmanteau to describe them. In the book Humpty Dumpty explains that: "Well, 'slithy' means 'lithe and slimy'. 'Lithe' is the same word as 'active'. You see, it's like a portmanteau - there are two meanings packed into one word." Among several other words Carroll created chortle (a combination of 'chuckle' and 'snort') and galumph ( a combination of 'gallop' and 'triumph').

So, a portmanteau or blend word is one derived by combining portions of two or more separate words. Interestingly, portmanteau itself is a blend word, originating from the French portemanteau, a compound formed from porter (to carry) and manteau (cloak).

advertainment	advertisement + entertainment		hassle	haggle + tussle
advertorial	advertisement + editorial		hazmat	hazardous + material
anacronym	anachronism + acronym		humongous	huge + monstrous
affluenza	affluence + influenza		infomercial	information + commercial
anecdotage	anecdote + dotage		infotainment	information + entertainment
avionics	aviation + electronics		insinuendo	insinuation + inneuendo
backronym	back + acronym		intercom	internal + communication
bash	bang + smash		Internet	international + network
Beatles	beat + beetles		jamboree	jam + soiree
because	by + cause		knowledgebase	knowledge + database
beefalo	beef + buffalo		liger	lion + tiger
bionic	biology + electronic		lox	liquid + oxygen
biopic	biographical + picture		malware	malicious + software
bit	binary + digit		medifraud	medical + fraud
blaxploitation	blacks + exploitation		moblog	mobile + weblog
bleep	blank out + beep		modem	modulator + demodulator
blog	web + log		motel	motor + hotel
blogebrity	blog + celebrity		motorcade	motor + cavalcade
blotch	blot + botch		multiplex	multiple + complex
blurt	blow + spurt		Muppet	marionette + puppet
bohunk	Bohemian + Hungarian		napalm	naphthene + palmitate
brash	bold + rash		netiquette	Internet + etiquette
breathalyser	breath + analyser		netizen	Internet + citizen
brunch	breakfast + lunch		nit	Napierian + digit
bumble	bungle + stumble		nucleonic	nuclear + electronic
cabarenaissance	cabaret + renaissance		olionaire	oil + millionnaire
cablegram	cable + telegram		outpatient	outside + patient
camcorder	camera + recorder		Oxbridge	Oxford + Cambridge
cellophane	cellulose + diaphane		palimony	partner + alimony
chillaxing	chilling + relaxing		pang	pain + sting
chortle	chuckle + snort		paratroop	parachute + troop
chugger	charity + mugger		pharming	pharmaceutical + farming
chump	chunk + lump		pixel	picture + element
Chunnel	channel + tunnel		prissy	prim + sissy
cineplex	cinema + complex		pulsar	pulsating + star
clash	clap + crash		quasar	quasistellar + radio
contrail	condensation + trail		qubit	quantum + bit
croissandwich	croissant + sandwich		raggazine	rag + magazine
cybrarian	cyber + librarian		rockumentary	rock + documentary
diabesity	diabetes + obesity		scuzzy	scum + lousy
ditsy	dizzy + dotty		seascape	sea + landscape
docudrama	documentary + drama		sexcapade	sex + escapade
docusoap	documentary + soap opera		simulcast	simultaneous + broadcast
doddle	dodder + toddle		sitcom	situation + comedy
dormobile	dormitory + automobile		skyjack	sky + hijack
drice	dry + ice		slang	slovenly + language
dumbfound	dumb + confound		slosh	slop + slush
econocrat	economist + bureaucrat		smash	smack + mash
edutainment	education + entertainment		smaze	smoke + haze
electrocute	electronic + execute		smog	smoke + fog
email	electronic + mail		smudgemate	smudge + estimate
emoticon	emotion + icon		snazzy	snappy + jazzy
faction	fact + fiction		soundscape	sound + landscape
factoid	fact + oid		spamdex	spam + index
fantabulous	fantastic + fabulous		splatter	splash + spatter
fanzine	fan + magazine		squawk	squall + squeak
fictomercial	fiction + commercial		squiggle	squirm + wiggle
flabbergast	flabby + aghast		stagflation	stagnation + inflation
flare	flame + glare		steelionaire	steel + millionnaire
flop	flap + drop		swipe	sweep + wipe
flounder	flounce + founder		tangelo	tangerine + pomelo
flurry	flutter + hurry		televangelist	television + evangelist
folksonomy	folks + taxonomy		telegenic	television + photogenic
fortnight	fourteen + nights		telethon	telephone + marathon
frankenword	Frankenstein + word	telex	teleprinter + exchange
freeware	free + software	tigon	tiger + lion
gainsay	against + say	travelogue	travel + monologue
galumph	gallop + triumph	tween	teen + between
genome	gene + chromosome	twiddle	twist + fiddle
gerrymander	Gerry + salamander	waddle	wade + toddle
ginormous	giant + enormous	webinar	web + seminar
glamping	glamorous + camping	Weejun	Norwegian + Injun
glaze	glare + gaze	wholphin	whale + dolphin
glimmer	gleam + shimmer	WiFi	wireless + fidelity
glitz	glamour + ritz	workaholic	work + addict
glob	globe + blob	wrizzled	wrinkled + frizzled
goodbye	God + be (with) + ye	zedonk	zebra + donkey
goon	gorilla + baboon	zonkey	zebra + donkey
guesstimate	guess + estimate	zorse	zebra + horse