Exploring vocabulary - Muschla Gary R. 2012
Breathing
Portmanteau words
Portmanteau words are words that blend the sounds and combine the meanings of two words. Portmanteau words are also known as “blends.”
1. brash (adj): hasty; rash; unthinking (from bold and rash)
Derrick is a brash young man.
2. splurge (v): to spend excessively (from splash and surge)
My older sister likes to splurge at the mall.
3. brunch (n): a meal that is a combination of breakfast and lunch (from breakfast and lunch)
We went to brunch on Sunday.
4. flop (v): to fall down heavily (from flap and drop)
Tonya was tired and wanted to flop on the couch.
5. motel (n): a hotel for people traveling by car (from motor and hotel)
We stayed overnight in a motel on our drive to visit my grandparents.
6. smog (n): fog that is mixed with smoke and pollution (from smoke and fog)
The smog was very thick in the city.
7. smash (v): to break violently; to shatter (from smack and mash)
The big wave will smash the sand castle.
8. moped (n): a motorized bicycle (from motor and pedal)
Michael rides his moped on his grandfather’s farm.
9. chortle (n): a snorting, happy chuckle; (v): to utter a snorting, happy chuckle (from chuckle and snort)
Morgan’s baby brother will chortle when he’s happy.
The clown began his act with a chortle.
10. squiggle (n): a wiggly mark; a scrawl; (v): to squirm and wriggle (from squirm and wriggle)
While doodling, Rosa made a squiggle on her paper.
My baby brother likes to squiggle around the floor.
Vocabulary tip
Portmanteau is a French word that means “suitcase.” Just as two parts of a suitcase close into one piece of luggage, portmanteau words have two parts that become one word. Their meanings usually are based on the meanings of the words that they are formed from.
27.1 Breathing
When we exercise, we breathe faster than when we are resting. About how many times per minute does the average adult breathe when resting?
To answer the question, find the word that matches each definition below. Choose your answers from the words that follow each definition. Write the letter of each answer in the space above its definition number at the bottom of the page. You will need to divide the letters into words. Some letters are provided.
1. a wiggly mark; a scrawl
A. chortle
I. brash
E. squiggle
2. a meal that is a combination of breakfast and lunch
T. brunch
N. smog
U. splurge
3. a hotel for people traveling by car
E. squiggle
W. flop
T. motel
4. to break violently; to shatter
F. chortle
T. smash
S. squiggle
5. fog mixed with smoke and pollution
T. smog
U. smash
N. chortle
6. a snorting, happy chuckle
O. flop
W. chortle
H. smash
7. to spend excessively
E. moped
T. brunch
N. splurge
8. to fall down heavily
L. flop
R. smash
E. brash
9. a motorized bicycle
U. smash
R. chortle
W. moped
10. hasty; rash; unthinking
T. moped
V. brash
Y. squiggle
