Portmanteau Words

During an English lesson today, my pupils came across the word "breathalyser" when they were reading a Comprehension passage about a drunk passenger attacking a taxi driver. I introduced blend words or portmanteau words to them to make them appreciate that the English language can be interesting. 

What is a portmanteau word? A portmanteau word or a blend word is a blend of two or more separate words. 

Examples of portmanteau words:

Brunch           Breakfast + Lunch

Chortle           Chuckle   + Snort

Cyborg           Cybernetic + Organism

Motel              Motor + Hotel

Smog              Smoke + Fog

Infotainment   Information + Entertainment

Camcorder      Camera + Recorder

Emoticon        Emotion + Icon

Pixel               Picture + Element

Twirl              Twist + Whirl

Glimmer        Gleam + Shimmer

Breathalyser  Breath + Analyser
Advertorial    Advertisement + Editorial
Telethon        Television + Marathon
Sitcom           Situation + Comedy
Paratroop       Parachute + Troop
Multiplex       Multiple + Complex
Smash            Smack + Mash
Guesstimate   Guess + Estimate