A portmanteau /port-man-TOE/ is the combination of two words to make a new word. Using portmanteaus is quick and convenient, and it makes you seem more natural.
On top of that, portmanteaus are easy to learn because you probably already know the two original words. Some familiar portmanteaus are:
- email = electronic + mail
- emoticon = emotions + icons
- brunch = breakfast + lunch
- romcom = romance + comedy
Here's a quick list of some portmanteaus that might be new but are easy to understand:
- chillax = chill + relax (Calm down, rest.)
- staycation = stay + vacation (Staying at home on vacation.)
- dramedy = drama + comedy (Dramas that are also funny.)
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badvertising = bad + advertising (Commonly found on the internet; for instance, pop-up ads and auto-playing videos.)
Finally, this is my favorite portmanteau I've found recently:
- mirrortocracy = mirror + meritocracy (Promoting people based on how much they resemble the manager—for example, going to the same university, having the same hobbies or lifestyle—rather than basing the decision on merit.)
English is not the only language with portmanteaus. Japanese has many, like cosplay (costume + play), meaning dressing up in costumes that resemble characters from popular culture.
Do you know any other portmanteaus? If you have any others you like to use, let me know. I always love a good portmanteau.
