Can You Portmanteau? (2025)

A portmanteau is a linguistic blend where the sounds and meanings of two or more words are packed into a single new term. The term was popularized by author Lewis Carroll in his 1871 book Through the Looking-Glass , where the character Humpty Dumpty explains that certain words have "two meanings packed up into one word," much like a portmanteau—a suitcase that opens into two equal compartments. Core Characteristics Portmanteau Meaning and 55 Examples | Grammarly Blog