15 Everyday Words We Didn’t Realize Were Portmanteaus
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You know those words that are basically two words smushed together? Like how “smog” is a combination of “smoke” and “fog.” Or “brunch” is the baby of “breakfast" and “lunch.”
Well, there is a word for these compound words - a portmanteau (pronounced port-MAN-toe). Fittingly, “portmanteau” is a portmanteau, coming from the two root words of “porter” (to carry) and “manteau” (a cloak). So, the loose translation of “carrying a cloak” means to carry two ideas together. Or, more simply, think of a portmanteau as “two meanings packed up into one word.”
There are many words in the English language that not many of us probably realize are portmanteaus - everything from our favorite electronic pets to the stuff that closes our toddlers' shoes.
- 1
Stash
Original words: stow + cache
Definition: Most of us use “stash” in our everyday language, like: “I'm going to stash away some money for a rainy day.” Or: “That boy has a massive stash of candy under his bed.”
Stash means to hide something away, or a collection of items that are hidden away.
But “stash” originally came about in the late 1700s, as a combination of “stow” (to put away) and “cache” (a hiding place).
Cool compound word? - Photo:
- Unknown author
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
2Electrocute
Original words: electricity + execute
Definition: Many of us are so familiar with the term “electrocute” that we don't realize where the word comes from. Meaning to “kill by electricity” this term became closely linked to criminals who were executed by way of the electric chair.
And there you can see the base words - “electricity” and “execute” (to kill). “Electrocute" was penned in the late 1880s in the United States, right around the time the first person was killed via electric chair in 1890.
Cool compound word?- Photo:
- 3
Endorphin
Original words: endogenous + morphine
Definition: When you have a sore back, you might reach for some painkillers to become more comfortable.
Well, endorphins are our body's natural pain relievers. If we're stressed or not feeling great, our body will often release endorphins to try and ease the discomfort we're feeling.
When scientists discovered this pain-relieving hormone in 1975, they used the base word that they often associated with pain relief at the time: morphine. They combined this with the word “endogenous” which means “from within”. So basically, our internal morphine.
Cool compound word? - 4
Velcro
Original words: velour + crochet
Definition: Did you know Velcro is actually a brand name? Much like Kleenex has become synonmous with tissues, "Velcro" has become the word most of us use for the hook and loop products that connect together with that satisfying “zip” sound. (This genericization has become such an issue that Velcro released a whole marketing campaign in 2017 with the goal of stopping people from using their name.)
But the name Velcro originally came about back in the 1950s when inventor George de Mestral needed a name for his fastening tape. So, he combined the French words “velour” (velvet) and “crochet” hook to coin his new textile.
Cool compound word? - 5
Tarmac
Original words: tar + macadam
Definition: Many of us have less-than-great memories of being stuck on a tarmac - AKA the runway at an airport. But Tarmac is actually a trademarked, specific kind of binding used for surfacing roads, parking lots, and runways. It's created by spraying tar over crushed stone.
Tarmac's word origin is pretty self-explanatory if you know the whole story. It's a combination of tar, one of the main ingredients used in the process, and macadam - a method of leveling roads and paving them with gravel developed by John L. McAdam in the late 1700s.
Cool compound word? - 6
Splatter
Original words: splash + spatter
Definition: When something splatters, it usually means a clean-up process is closely ensuing. This could include anything from paint splattering when we drop a brush or ketchup splattering on our shirt.
Splatter has a vivid image for most of us, and its base words build up that imagery even more. Splatter is a combination of splash and spatter (scattering in small drops).
So are splash, spatter, and splatter pretty much all synonyms of one another? We'll let you be the judge.
Cool compound word?
