WordPlay: Portmanteaux and Blend-Words
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The LexiConnexxions analysis has identified dozens of PORTMANTEAUX AND BLEND-WORDS in the Spelling Bee lexicon.
This WordPlay report compiles and defines Bee words that are portmanteau or blended words, that is, words “made by combining the spellings and meanings of two or more other words or word parts.” (M-W)
Many examples of Portmanteaux and blend-words may be found in the Spelling Bee lexicon. The complete list of words on this topic is shown at right (on laptop or desktop) or at the end of the page (on mobile); the same list with definitions is given below. Bee words marked with an asterisk have been used in at least one Spelling Bee puzzle, then subsequently disallowed; they are retained here for historical interest.
The complete list of words on this topic is shown at right (on laptop or desktop) or at the end of the page (on mobile); the same list with definitions is given below. Bee words marked with an asterisk have been used in at least one Spelling Bee puzzle, then subsequently disallowed; they are retained here for historical interest.
This WordPlay report compiles and defines Bee words that are portmanteau or blended words, that is, words “made by combining the spellings and meanings of two or more other words or word parts.” (M-W)
Many examples of Portmanteaux and blend-words may be found in the Spelling Bee lexicon. The complete list of words on this topic is shown at right (on laptop or desktop) or at the end of the page (on mobile); the same list with definitions is given below. Bee words marked with an asterisk have been used in at least one Spelling Bee puzzle, then subsequently disallowed; they are retained here for historical interest.
The complete list of words on this topic is shown at right (on laptop or desktop) or at the end of the page (on mobile); the same list with definitions is given below. Bee words marked with an asterisk have been used in at least one Spelling Bee puzzle, then subsequently disallowed; they are retained here for historical interest.
ABOUT THE LEXITOPICS PROJECT
PORTMANTEAUX AND BLEND-WORDS in the Spelling Bee lexicon
ANKLET: something (such as an ornament) worn around the ankle; probably from anklet + braceletBIATHLETE: an athlete who competes in a biathlon, a composite athletic contest consisting of cross-country skiing and rifle sharpshooting; blend of blend of athlete and biathlonBIONIC: of or relating to bionics, a science concerned with the application of data about the functioning of biological systems to the solution of engineering problems; also, having normal biological capability or performance enhanced by or as if by electronic or electromechanical devices, from biology + electronicsBIOPIC: a biographical movie, from biography + pictureBLOG: a website that contains online personal reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks, videos, and photographs provided by the writer; also: the contents of such a site; also, a regular feature appearing as part of an online publication that typically relates to a particular topic and consists of articles and personal commentary by one or more authors; also, to write or have a blog; to write or write about (something) on a blog (short for Weblog). Blog is short for weblog, which is a portmanteau of web + log (a record of performance, events, or day-to-day activities).BLOGGED: a website that contains online personal reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks, videos, and photographs provided by the writer; also: the contents of such a site; also, a regular feature appearing as part of an online publication that typically relates to a particular topic and consists of articles and personal commentary by one or more authors; also, to write or have a blog; to write or write about (something) on a blog (short for Weblog). Blog is short for weblog, which is a portmanteau of web + log (a record of performance, events, or day-to-day activities).BLOGGING: a website that contains online personal reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks, videos, and photographs provided by the writer; also: the contents of such a site; also, a regular feature appearing as part of an online publication that typically relates to a particular topic and consists of articles and personal commentary by one or more authors; also, to write or have a blog; to write or write about (something) on a blog (short for Weblog). Blog is short for weblog, which is a portmanteau of web + log (a record of performance, events, or day-to-day activities).BRAINIAC: a very intelligent person, probably from Brainiac, superintelligent villain in the Superman comic-book series, from brain + maniac.CANOLA: Canola was originally a trademark name of the Rapeseed Association of Canada, and the name was a condensation of "Can" from Canada and "OLA" meaning "Oil, low acid" but is now a generic term for edible varieties of rapeseed oil in North America and Australasia.CAPLET: a capsule-shaped medicinal tablet, from capsule + tablet NOTE: The name Caplets was formerly a U.S. registered trademark.CHOCOHOLIC: a person who craves or compulsively consumes chocolate, from chocolate + -aholicCHUMP: informal: a person who is easily tricked: a stupid or foolish person, perhaps blend of chunk and lumpCOCKAPOO: a dog that is a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle; alteration of cocker (spaniel) + poodleDUMBFOUND: to confound briefly and usually with astonishment, from dumb + -found (as in confound)
ECHOLOCATE: to find by echolocation, a physiological process for locating distant or invisible objects (such as prey) by sound waves reflected back to the emitter (such as a bat) from the objects (a bat echolocates food); also, to utilize or have the capacity for echolocation; from echo + locateEMAIL: electronic mail, from electronic + mailEMAILED: sent via electronic mail, from electronic + mailEMOTICON: a group of keyboard characters (such as:-)) that typically represents a facial expression or suggests an attitude or emotion and that is used especially in computerized communications (such as email), from emotion + iconFANFIC: short for fan fiction, stories involving popular fictional characters that are written by fans and often posted on the InternetFLEXITIME: or more commonly flextime: a system that allows employees to choose their own times for starting and finishing work within a broad range of available hours, from flex- (in flexible) + timeFLEXTIME: or less commonly flexitime: a system that allows employees to choose their own times for starting and finishing work within a broad range of available hours, from flex- (in flexible) + timeFLUFF: something fluffy (e.g., dandelion fluff); to become fluffy; to make fluffy (fluff the pillows); perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puffFLUFFED: something fluffy (e.g., dandelion fluff); to become fluffy; to make fluffy (fluff the pillows); perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puffFLUFFILY: something fluffy (e.g., dandelion fluff); to become fluffy; to make fluffy (fluff the pillows); perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puffFLUFFING: something fluffy (e.g., dandelion fluff); to become fluffy; to make fluffy (fluff the pillows); perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puffFLUFFS: something fluffy (e.g., dandelion fluff); to become fluffy; to make fluffy (fluff the pillows); perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puffFLUFFY: something fluffy (e.g., dandelion fluff); to become fluffy; to make fluffy (fluff the pillows); perhaps blend of flue (fluff) and puffGALUMPH: to move with a clumsy heavy tread; perhaps blend of gallop + triumphant; Coined by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lewis dodgson) in the poem "Jabberwocky" (1872), apparently in the sense "to march exultingly."GAMUT: the whole series of recognized musical notes; also, an entire range or series (ran the gamut from praise to contempt); Middle English gamut, gamma-ut "lowest note in the medieval hexachord system, the system itself," borrowed from Medieval Latin, from gamma (used as a symbol for the lowest note in the scale) + ut (a syllable used for the first note in the diatonic scale in an early solmization system and later replaced by do)GAYDAR: slang: the supposed ability to recognize through observation or intuition that a person is gay; blend of gay + radarGENOME: one haploid set of chromosomes with the genes they contain; broadly: the genetic material of an organism. German Genom, from Gen gene + -om (as in Chromosom chromosome)GLITZ: extravagant showiness; glitter, ostentation; possibly a blend of glamour + ritz[y]HILLBILLY: often disparaging + offensive: a person from a backwoods area; from hill + Billy, nickname for WilliamKNURL: a small protuberance, excrescence, or knob; one of a series of small ridges or beads on a metal surface to aid in gripping; probably blend of knur and gnarlMELD: to merge, to blend; also, a blend or mixtureMELDED: to merge, to blend; also, a blend or mixtureMELDING: a blend or mixture; also, to merge, to blend; from a blend of melt and weldMODEM: a device that converts signals produced by one type of device (such as a computer) to a form compatible with another (such as a telephone) and that is used especially to transmit and receive information between computers via landlines; also, to send (something, such as data) via a modem (from modulator + demodulator)MOLLYCODDLE: to treat with an excessive or absurd degree of indulgence and attention; from Molly, nickname for Mary + coddleMOLLYCODDLED: to treat with an excessive or absurd degree of indulgence and attention; from Molly, nickname for Mary + coddleMOPED: a lightweight, low-powered motorbike that can be pedaled; broadly: any low-powered motorbike; Swedish, from motor motor + pedal pedalMOTEL: an establishment which provides lodging and parking and in which the rooms are usually accessible from an outdoor parking area (motor + hotel)NAPALM: a thickener consisting of a mixture of aluminum soaps used in jelling gasoline (as for incendiary bombs); also, fuel jelled with napalm; also, to assault with napalm (naphthene + palmitate)NETIQUETTE: etiquette governing communication on the Internet; blend of net and etiquetteNETIZEN: an active participant in the online community of the Internet; blend of net and citizenNIACIN: an acid C6H5NO2 of the vitamin B complex found widely in animals and plants and used especially against pellagra; from nicotinic acid + -inPAYOLA: undercover or indirect payment (as to a disc jockey) for a commercial favor (as for promoting a particular recording); from pay + -ola (as in Pianola, trademark for a player piano)PHABLET*: Not in M-W; Collins has: a handheld personal computer between a smartphone and a tablet in size and which combines features of both; from a blend of phone and tabletPIXEL: any of the small discrete elements that together constitute an image (as on a television or digital screen); also, any of the detecting elements of a solid-state optical sensor (such as a CCD or CMOS device); from pix (plural of pic, picture) + elementPRION: a prion protein; especially: an abnormal form of prion protein that in mammals includes pathogenic forms which arise sporadically, as a result of genetic mutation, or by transmission (as by ingestion of infected tissue) and which upon accumulation in the brain cause a prion disease (such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease); from proteinaceous + infectious + -ONROBOCALL: a telephone call from an automated source that delivers a prerecorded message to a large number of people, from robot + callROMCOM: M-W hyphenates rom-com, a romantic comedy: a light, comic movie or other work whose plot focuses on the development of a romantic relationship; also: this style or genre of work; Collins has “romcom” and adds “in British English.” From romantic + comedyTARMAC: a tarmacadam road, apron, or runway; from Tarmac, a trademark, which is a shortening of tarmacadam, from tar + macadam, after John Loudon McAdam †1836, Scottish civil engineer who introduced this method of road constructionTARMACADAM: a pavement constructed by spraying or pouring a tar binder over layers of crushed stone and then rolling; also, a material of tar and aggregates mixed in a plant and shaped on the roadway; from tar + macadam, after John Loudon McAdam †1836, Scottish civil engineer who introduced this method of road constructionTAXI: a taxicab, an automobile that carries passengers for a fare usually determined by the distance traveled; also: a similarly operated boat or aircraft; also, of an aircraft: to go at low speed; also, to transport by or as if by taxi; also, to ride in a taxicab (taxied to the train station); shortened from taxicab, from taximeter cabTAXIED: a taxicab, an automobile that carries passengers for a fare usually determined by the distance traveled; also: a similarly operated boat or aircraft; also, of an aircraft: to go at low speed; also, to transport by or as if by taxi; also, to ride in a taxicab (taxied to the train station); shortened from taxicab, from taximeter cabTELEGENIC: well-suited to the medium of television, especially: having an appearance and manner that are markedly attractive to television viewers; “a melding of television with photogenic, ‘suitable for being photographed especially because of visual appeal.’ “TELEX: a communication service involving teletypewriters connected by wire through automatic exchanges; also: a teletypewriter used in telex; also, a message sent by telex; also, to send (something, such as a message) by telex; to communicate with by telex; formed by teleprinter + exchangeTELEXED: a communication service involving teletypewriters connected by wire through automatic exchanges; also: a teletypewriter used in telex; also, a message sent by telex; also, to send (something, such as a message) by telex; to communicate with by telex; formed by teleprinter + exchangeTELNET*: a telecommunications protocol providing specifications for emulating a remote computer terminal so that one can access a distant computer and function online using an interface that appears to be part of the user's local system; formed from teletype networkTOONIE: Canada, informal: a coin worth two Canadian dollars; blend of two and loonie, a coin worth one Canadian dollarTRIMARAN: a fast pleasure sailboat with three hulls side by side; tri- + catamaran, a vessel (such as a sailboat) with twin hulls and usually a deck or superstructure connecting the hullsTWEEN: preteen; a boy or girl not yet 13 years old; also, relating to or produced for children especially in the 9 to 12 year-old age group; also, being younger than 13; from a blend of between and teenTWILIT: lighted by or as if by twilight; from twilight + litUMPTEEN: very many: indefinitely numerous; blend of umpty (such and such) and -teen (as in thirteen)UMPTEENTH: latest or last in an indefinitely numerous series; from umpteen, ; blend of umpty (such and such) and -teen (as in thirteen)UPDO: an upswept hairdo, from upswept hairdoUPPITY: somewhat old-fashioned: putting on or marked by airs of superiority: arrogant, presumptuous; also, somewhat old-fashioned, disparaging + sometimes offensive; see usage paragraph below: aspiring to a rank or position higher than one deserves or is entitled to; probably from up + -ity (as in persnickity, variant of persnickety)VIADUCT: a long elevated roadway usually consisting of a series of short spans supported on arches, piers, or columns; Latin via way, road + English aqueductVIDIOT*: Not in M-W or Collins; NOAD has derogatory, informal North American English: a habitual, undiscriminating watcher of television or videos. 1940s: blend of video and idiot.VITAMIN: any of various organic substances that are essential in minute quantities to the nutrition of most animals and some plants, act especially as coenzymes and precursors of coenzymes in the regulation of metabolic processes but do not provide energy or serve as building units, and are present in natural foodstuffs or sometimes produced within the body, from vital amineVLOG: a blog that contains video material; also, to create or manage such a blog; from video + blogVLOGGING: a blog that contains video material; also, to create or manage such a blog; from video + blogWILCO: —used especially in radio and signaling to indicate that a message received will be complied with, will complyWITHAL: together with this: besides; also, on the other hand: nevertheless; from Middle English, from with + all, al allYIPPIE: a person belonging to or identified with a politically active group of hippies, from Youth International Party + -ie (as in hippie)YUPPIE: often Yuppie: a young college-educated adult who is employed in a well-paying profession and who lives and works in or near a large city, probably from young urban professional + -ie [as in hippie]
PORTMANTEAUX AND BLEND-WORDS in the Spelling Bee lexicon
ANKLETBIATHLETEBIONICBIOPICBLOGBLOGGEDBLOGGINGBRAINIACCANOLACAPLETCHOCOHOLICCHUMPCOCKAPOODUMBFOUND
ECHOLOCATEEMAILEMAILEDEMOTICONFANFICFLEXITIMEFLEXTIMEFLUFFFLUFFEDFLUFFILYFLUFFINGFLUFFSFLUFFYGALUMPHGAMUTGAYDARGENOMEGLITZHILLBILLYKNURLMELDMELDEDMELDINGMODEMMOLLYCODDLEMOLLYCODDLEDMOPEDMOTEL
NAPALMNETIQUETTENETIZENNIACINPAYOLAPHABLET*PIXELPRIONROBOCALLROMCOMTARMACTARMACADAMTAXITAXIEDTELEGENICTELEXTELEXEDTELNET*TOONIETRIMARANTWEENTWILITUMPTEENUMPTEENTHUPDOUPPITYVIADUCTVIDIOT*VITAMINVLOGVLOGGINGWILCOWITHALYIPPIEYUPPI