What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Portmanteau vs Conflate - What's the difference?

portmanteau | conflate |

As nouns the difference between portmanteau and conflate

is that portmanteau is a large travelling case usually made of leather, and opening into two equal sections or portmanteau can be (linguistics) a portmanteau word while conflate is (biblical criticism) a conflate text, one which conflates multiple version of a text together.

As adjectives the difference between portmanteau and conflate

is that portmanteau is made by combining two (or more) words, stories, etc, in the manner of a linguistic portmanteau while conflate is (biblical criticism) combining elements from multiple versions of the same text.

As a verb conflate is

to bring (things) together and fuse (them) into a single entity.

portmanteau

English

(wikipedia portmanteau)

Alternative forms

* (travelling case) portmantua

Etymology 1

From (etyl) portemanteau, literally

Noun

(en-noun)
  • A large travelling case usually made of leather, and opening into two equal sections.
  • * 1667 , Charles Croke, Fortune's Uncertainty :
    • Rodolphus therefore finding such an earnest Invitation, embrac'd it with thanks, and with his Servant and Portmanteau , went to Don Juan's; where they first found good Stabling for their Horses, and afterwards as good Provision for themselves.
  • (Australia, dated) A school bag; often shortened to port'' or ''school port

    • Etymology 2

    Coined by .

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (linguistics) A portmanteau word.
  • * 1872 , Lewis Carroll, ), the first usage in this sense:
    • Well, “slithy” means “lithe and slimy.” “Lithe” is the same as “active”. You see it’s like a portmanteau –there are two meanings packed up into one word.
    Synonyms
    * (portmanteau word) blend, frankenword, portmanteau word

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Made by combining two (or more) words, stories, etc., in the manner of a linguistic portmanteau.
  • * 2002 , Nicholas Lezard, Spooky tales by the master and friends'' in ''The Guardian (London) (December 14, 2002) page 30:
    • The overall narrator of this portmanteau story - for Dickens co-wrote it with five collaborators on his weekly periodical, All the Year Round - expresses deep, rational scepticism about the whole business of haunting.
  • * 2002 , Nick Bradshaw, One day in September'' in ''Time Out (December 11, 2002) Page 71:
    • We're so bombarded with images, it's a struggle to preserve our imaginations.' In response, he's turned to cinema, commissioning 11 film-makers to contribute to a portmanteau film, entitled '11'09"01' and composed of short films each running 11 minutes, nine seconds and one frame.

    Derived terms

    * portmanteau film * portmanteau word

    See also

    * *

    conflate

    English

    Verb

    (conflat)
  • To bring (things) together and fuse (them) into a single entity.
  • To mix together different elements.
  • To fail to properly distinguish or keep separate (things); to treat (them) as equivalent.

    • Synonyms

    * (to bring together) fuse, meld * (mix together) mix, blend, coalesce, commingle, flux, immix, merge

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (biblical criticism) Combining elements from multiple versions of the same text.
  • * 1999 , Emanuel Tov, The Greek and Hebrew Bible: Collected Essays on the Septuagint :
    • Why the redactor created this conflate version, despite its inconsistencies, is a matter of conjecture.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (biblical criticism) A conflate text, one which conflates multiple version of a text together.

    • References

    Anagrams

    * ----