© Lydia Hudgens

 Twas brilling, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll 

In Through the Looking Glass, Alice asks Humpty Dumpty to explain the meaning of the words in the poem Jabberwocky. She learns that slithy derives from the combination of  lithe and slimy and mimsy from flimsy and miserable. Carroll seems to have been the originator of seemingly nonsensical or portmanteau* words – pairing words or parts of words to express qualities pertaining to both.

Here are my favorites, but for a more comprehensive list see Wikipedia’s. You might also try creating your own!

1.  blog = web + log
2.  bleen = blue+ green
3.  bodacious = bold + audacious
4.  dreambition = dream + ambition
5.  chortle = chuckle + snort
6.  cometeor = comet + meteor
7.  dyellow = dye + yellow
8.  fablegend = fable + legend
9.  glamping = glamour + camping
10. godeity = god + deity
11. grapear = grape + pear
12. hattitude = hat + attitude
13. kingdomain = kingdom + domain
14. koga = kickboxing + yoga
15. knork = knife + fork
16. liger = lion + tiger
17. lurve = love + crave
18. moblog = mob + blog
19. narratell = narrate + tell
20. netiquette = internet + etiquette
21. penvy = pen + envy
22. pleasurejoicing = pleasure + rejoicing
23. pluot = plum + apricot
24. prettiful = pretty + beautiful
25. saintellectual = saint + intellectual
26. smarkitect = smart + architect
27. stitulating = titillating + stimulating
28. tangello = tangerine + pomelo
29. tendernessence = tenderness + essence
30. vlog = video + blog

* A suitcase that has two compartments.

Model: Lauren DiMarco