Portmanteau-ver and Over

I enjoyed last week's portmanteau word, afterthoughtful, so much that I thought I would give some more examples of portmanteau words (words that are formed by combining the sounds and meanings of two different words).

Older Portmanteau Words:
Electrocute (electric + execute)
Pixel (picture + element)
Telethon (telephone + marathon)
Chortle (chuckle + snort)
Brunch (breakfast + lunch)
Motel (motor + hotel)
Camcorder (camera + recorder)
Rockumentary (rock + documentary)

More Recent Portmanteau Words:
Guesstimate (guess + estimate)
Internet (international + network)
Blog (web + log)
Smirting (smoking + flirting) came about when offices went no smoking (employees go outside to take a cigarette break and end up flirting with each other)
Emoticon (emotion + icon)
Chillax (chill + relax)
Generica (generic + America)
Irritainment (irritate + entertainment)
Swipeout (swipe + wipeout) referring to swiping a credit card when the magnetic strip is worm out
brickormortis (brick + rigormortis) referring to the poor state of the housing market
Blamestorming (blaming + brainstorming)
Bromance (brother + romance) strong male friendship

Many of these words are a result of morpheme combinations.

A Portmantational Word (Portmanteau + Sensational)

For word lovers like myself, the Atlantic Magazine runs a column called "Word Fugitives" by Barbara Wallraff. The July/August column included responses to a woman's request for a word to describe her husband's " uncanny ability to to ask if I need help with a household task at the exact moment that I am finishing it." Of the many words that readers suggested, the one that was judged to be the "most precise and economical" expression for this ability of the woman's husbands was, not surprisingly, a portmanteau word.

afterthoughtful (afterthought + thoughtful)

What a sensational word. The next time my husband offers to help with something after the fact I will be sure to thank him for his afterthoughtfulness.