Blendifferous* = A term I just invented by combining the words “blend” and “splendifferous.”An apt ajective, I think, for the art of portmanteau. I know, you’re thinking, “Aha, Portmanteau, I was there once! It’s on the French Riviera, right?” Sorry, mais non, Jacques. A portmanteau is a new term created by mashing two or more pre-existing words together. For example, if I’m going to write a dark, mysterious account of my life, I might call it a memnoir* (memoir + noir [dark]).
Speaking of memoirs, by the way, I’m on a brief hiatus from the My Real Memoir series normally posted on Tuesdays.
More Portmanteaus (Morpmanteaus?):
- Coca-colonization (Coca-Cola + colonization): The influence of American consumerization on other cultures.
- craptacular (crap + spectacular): Something so bad it’s epic.
- docusoapery (documentary + soap opera): A “true life” drama that emphasizes big emotional moments (e.g. The Bachelor and it’s sundry airheaded offspring).
- flexitarian (flexible + vegetarian): A vegetarian who fudges a lot.
- irregardless (irrespective + regardless — unintentionally): Do. Not. Use. This.
- kidlife crisis (kid + midlife crisis): If you’re a parent, you know what it means.
- laughticating* (laughing with mouth open while masticating) Avoid doing this at restaurants with linen tablecloths. Smile-chuckling (smuckling*) while chewing with mouth closed is allowed.
- meld (melt + weld): A term invented by Vulcan welders.
- nicety (nice + nasty): We’ve all done it, now it has a name.
- Nintendinitis (Nintendo + tendonitis): Incurable.
- pregnesia (pregnancy + amnesia): “I have no idea how this happened.”
- sci-five (sci-fi + high five): For particularly nerdtastic moments during sci-fi movies.
- screenager (screen + teenager): Adolescent who is seriously deficient in melanin.
- spork (spoon + fork): A term simultaneously invented by nearly everyone the moment Kentucky Fried Chicken introduced these toothy little spoons back in the 70s.
- tomacco (tomato + tobacco): A tomato plant grafted onto the roots of a tobacco plant. Principal ingredient of the Italian dish nicotini.*
- turducken (turkey + duck + chicken): A dish consisting of a de-boned chicken stuffed into a de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed into a de-boned turkey. But why?
*Portmanteaus I invented while writing this post.
These are pretty hilarious. Must try and remember some for when I am back at work on Thu 😀
hilarious! What about demonism a democracy gone bad or loosling a crime novel that fixes you to the loo seat ?
;>)
These are Word Nerd worthy, Mitch!
😌
The one I grew up with, being a Disney Cast family, was “Imagineering.” It’s a blend of Imagination and Engineering, referring to the department that created and engineered the attractions at the park. One of my favorite shows to work was “Fantasmic!,” a blend of Fantasy and Magic. It brings up many good memories.
🧡
Nice, I just learned of Turducken recently
Honestly, I’m a bit put off by the fact that it starts with “turd.” ;>)
“…nicotini..”
🤣😂
Scrumdiliumptous = scrumptious and delicious and ummm!
maybe seatloaf, a serving of seatloaf meaning time in a recliner
I love it, Christopher!
This was positively phantasmagoric.
So much fun! How about sopranolo, when the sopranos in the choir drown out all the other parts; “it’s a choral piece, ladies, not a sopranolo.”
;>)
Good stuff, Mitch.
BTW, I’ve been claiming to be the person who coined the word “Spooktacular” back in 1984, and I threaten to sue all kinds of businesses every year – so far, no one has paid me any attention.
I hear you, Ray. I coined the word “spork” the day KFC introduced it. And for a long time, no one knew what I was talking about. So I figured I was the first. But, in truth, there were probably several thousand people who co-invented the term.
That’s a great word!
Very creative!
My mother used to say, “It’s a fignewton” of your imagination.
I like it!
My sister has a stage curtain made from rags. She used it for her school program shows and named it craptastic.
;>)
I can see that TIME has not wasted you. You have so much of it you are now inventing what the English dictionary don’t have, and AI will now input into documents the lesser of the wise fail to observe… :-). Ah Mitch, thanks for the email of words you taught today. This one’s a keeper.
This is a fun list, so let me add to it. I’m a chocoholic! 🙂
A classic, Nancy.
I have a free thinking friend who describes her faith affiliation using one of the words on your list. She calls herself a “flexitarian.” But while we’re on the subject, I suppose you could say that a person who is upset about the liturgical season preceding Christmas is observing MADVENT. Thanks. I’ll show myself out.
;>)
I am intimately acquainted with the chairdrobe and floorganization.
;>)
Smartphoneiritis, a condition from spending too much time on your phone.
😅😅
Your creativity turns language into pure magic!
I laughed, learned, and now feel inspired to invent my own blendifferous words.
This post makes me want to speak in portmanteaus all day long.
You might confuse a few people if you do that, Hary. ;>)
Haha, true—mystery has a way of stirring curiosity, doesn’t it?
A little confusion now and then keeps the world wonderfully awake.
But don’t worry… I only surprise the ones who can handle it. 😉
it works and I’m a huge fan of wordplay so this was really fun
Thanks for the laughs, Mitch! Love it!
My pleasure, Peggy.
These are so good. My daughter made up longneckasaurus (long + dinosaur) when she didn’t know the name of that long neck dinosaur 😁. I still don’t know what it’s called.
Well, it’s about time we alert the paleontologists that longneckasaurus is the proper word!
Maybe even Merriam Webster and others, she’s pretty good at making up words 😁
Mitch +vocabulary=Mitchbulary
For the new words you added to vocabulary.
;>)
My fun is responding to a pun with “you should be pun-ished
;>)
How about a word that is the first three letters of Sweden and the first three letters of Denmark –> Sweden. Ooops that didn’t go well. How about a word that is the last three letters of Sweden and the last four letters of Denmark –> Denmark. OK didn’t go well either. Well, Sweden and Denmark was once upon a time one country, perhaps that’s the problem.
;>)
Enjoyable! Loving “memnoir* (memoir + noir [dark])” – totally describes my autobiography. I will be using this one for sure!
With a credit, I presume. ;>)
And good to meet you, btw, Dann.
Same to you!
I remember learning about this in college!
Words are downright fun, Mitch!
They are, aren’t they, Mitzy!
I have been a chocoholic since childhood (when my grandmother gave me a jumbo Hersheys bar at every Sunday dinner and I had to finish it in the week to prepare for the next one). Later, I became a vegetarian until my doctor said I needed more protein, and then I became a flexitarian. I fudged so much, that I gave up and became a carnivore again (and am enjoying bacon again, but not with my chocolate). Fun post. thanks, Mitch.
My pleasure, Madeline.
Your post lands like a joyful ambush on the English language, scattering clever hybrids with the confidence of someone who knows dictionaries are negotiable. Blendifferous sets the tone: playful invention treated as perfectly legitimate reality.
The list reads like dispatches from a neighboring dimension where words evolve faster than common sense. Pregnesia hits home for anyone who’s ever forgotten their own sentence mid-breath. Craptacular feels like the unofficial anthem of imperfect days. Nintendinitis sounds both medical and unavoidable.
Your own creations add a mischievous sparkle. Laughticating belongs in a warning label at fancy restaurants. Memnoir already feels like a genre for people who want their life stories with an extra shadow.
The whole thing becomes a gentle reminder that language is flexible clay and you’re happily reshaping it, leaving the audience amused, a little impressed, and wondering why they haven’t invented a word today.
So glad you enjoyed it, my friend (afraid I don’t know your name).
My daughter’s friend came up with one to describe people who make nonbelief in God into a religion and proselytize for it relentlessly: “faithiest.”
Brilliant.
Flautistic? To describe a neurodiverse person who is a prodigy on the flute? Just spitballing. 🙂
I love it, Jim.
A cherished compliment. Thanks, Mitch!
Irregardless of your list, there are many, even professional journalists and news anchors whom I have read and heard using this. So sad.
AND I teach an ESL class, so I have to warn them to STAY AWAY from you, you grammatician!😂
;>)
Certainly not a bornedol
Most definitely! Llol
Mitch! Once I tried to laugh by closing my mouth but didn’t get it.😀
This is great, Mitch. I’ve heard the word fantabulous a lot.
Thanks, Edward. Yes, it’s pretty widely used.
Indeed, I never thought of it as a portmanteau until I read your post.
Such fun! How about glamping? Our daughter and fam introduced that one to us, with photos from one of their mini-getaways. Their tent was outfitted with carpet on the ground, a regular bed and other furniture, etc!
Exactly, Nancy! I only left that one out because it’s become a familiar word to nearly everyone.
Brilliant!
Why, thank you, Georgina.
Love the idea of a memnoir!!! 🤩
This post is pure word-nerd joy! Your “blendifferous” portmanteaus are clever and hilarious, and they really show how playful and alive language can be.
Thank you, Jose.
Gave me “the chuckles.
I commend to you
“A Connoisseur’s Collection of Old, and New, Weird and Wonderful, Useful and Outlandish Words, by Paul Dickson. You will love it.
I’ll check it out, Marty!