infotainment
noun
Did you know?
Infotainment, a blend of "information" and "entertainment," first appeared in the early 1980s. Not everyone approves of "infotainment" and similar pieced-together, media-derived words (e.g., "infomercial" and "edutainment"), however. New York Times Magazine writer Joe Morgenstern referred to "infotainment" as "a plastic word, stuck together with show-biz epoxy." An editorialist for a New England newspaper called it "a nauseating word" that "has crept into the language without an invitation." Unfortunately for such detractors, the word continues to be used today. Not only that, but a new, distinct sense of the word is emerging. People in the automotive industry have recently begun using "infotainment" to refer to the state-of-the-art multimedia technologies (such as GPS systems and Internet radio) now available to drivers at the push of a button.
Examples of infotainment in a Sentence
Marc D. Grasso, Boston Herald, 5 June 2025
Room for improvement The new infotainment system can lag occasionally.
—Josh Max, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
The infotainment even booted in an acceptable time.
—ArsTechnica, 1 May 2025
The Pulse, Summit, Premium and Brabus have a second 13in infotainment screen on the passenger side, which enables that occupant to enjoy media while driving.
—James Morris, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for infotainment
Cite this Entry
“Infotainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infotainment. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share