Blended

The term blended is the past participle of blend and is used as an adjective to describe something composed of components from different origins that have been mixed together. The specific sense depends on context, ranging from physical mixtures to synthesized approaches and hybrid products.

In education, blended learning combines online digital instruction with traditional in-person teaching. Courses labeled as blended typically integrate asynchronous materials or video modules with scheduled classroom activities, aiming to balance flexibility with face-to-face interaction and hands-on practice.

In finance and development, blended finance refers to the strategic use of public or philanthropic funds to mobilize private investment for development goals. The approach uses grants, guarantees, or first-loss capital to reduce risk and attract capital commitments from private participants.

In family terminology, a blended family is formed when partners with children from previous relationships marry or cohabit, creating a new family unit that includes stepparents and stepchildren. Social and legal arrangements may evolve to reflect these blended ties.

In consumer goods and linguistics, blended can describe products created by mixing ingredients (such as blended whisky) or the linguistic process of combining parts of words to form a portmanteau (blended words).

The word is widely used across domains, and its precise meaning is defined by context, but it consistently signals some form of mixture or hybridization.