Portmanteaus

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌpɔːɹtmænˈtoʊz/

Definitions

1. A large suitcase or bag that opens into two equal sections; a blend of two or more words, resulting in a single new term; something that serves multiple purposes or holds various items within a single container
2. A suitcase designed to carry clothing, split into two compartments; a linguistic combination of words creating innovative expressions; an object that accommodates multiple uses or different items in one unit
3. A spacious piece of luggage that divides into two divisions for organization; a word formed by merging parts of different words to create new meanings; an item that is capable of fulfilling various functions or housing diverse contents in one place

Etymology: Lewis Carroll gave this word its best-known modern sense. In "Through the Looking-Glass" (1871), he used it to explain the invented words of "Jabberwocky," such as "slithy" and "mimsy," describing each as two words packed together like the contents of a portmanteau. Before that, the word meant a travelling bag, and it was only in the 1870s that its figurative sense took hold. The original object was a coat stand. The term came from Middle French "portemanteau," literally "carries coat," from "porte" (the third-person singular of "porter," to carry) and "manteau" (coat). Later it named a leather travelling bag that opened into two equal compartments, which explains why the figurative sense used the image of a bag with two halves. The plural "portmanteaus" is the form of "portmanteau" that Carroll's sense of the word most often takes in English, though "portmanteaux" also appears in dictionaries as a plural.

Synonyms: blends, combinations, hybrids, fusions, mashups