This article is about a type of word. For the method of teaching how to read, see synthetic phonics. In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau[a]—is a word formed, usually intentionally, by combining the sounds and meanings of two or more words.[2][3][4] English examples include smog, coined by blending smoke and fog,[3][5] as well as motel, from motor (moto