blends

Blends are words formed by combining parts of two or more source words to create a new term. Common English examples include brunch (breakfast + lunch), smog (smoke + fog), and motel (motor + hotel). Blends are a form of word formation distinct from full compounds and from acronyms or initialisms. They are widely used to create concise, memorable terms in everyday speech and branding.

In linguistics, blending typically preserves portions from each source word, though the joined segments can vary. Some blends fuse beginnings and endings (as in brunch), while others splice together interior segments. The term portmanteau is sometimes used interchangeably, but some definitions reserve it for blends that carry overlapping sounds or more explicit concatenation of sources.

Beyond language, “blend” denotes mixtures of substances that retain their individual identities. In consumer products, coffee, tea, paints, and flavorings use blends to achieve specific qualities. In science and manufacturing, polymer blends combine two or more polymers to tailor mechanical properties and temperature resistance. Blending also occurs in fuels and cosmetics, illustrating the broad use of the concept across domains.