Governator

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A jokingly informal name for a state governor, most famously applied to actor Arnold Schwarzenegger during his time as California's governor
2. An humorous nickname for a governor, best known as a playful label for Arnold Schwarzenegger while he held the office in California
3. A playful, informal term for a state governor, especially the former bodybuilder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger who led California

Etymology: The word was coined as a nickname for Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor who became Governor of California. "Governor" supplied the official title, while "terminator" came from his most famous screen role, the robot assassin he played in the Terminator film series. Blending the two words let the joke land in one clever coinage. The blend works because the two halves share a sound pattern: "gover-" flows straight into "-nator," so the new word reads smoothly and still shows both parents. Listeners hear the cinematic robot inside the official office, which is exactly why the nickname stuck as a tease about a famous action star holding public power.