infotainment

noun

in·fo·tain·ment ˌin-(ˌ)fō-ˈtān-mənt

: television programs that present information (such as news) in a manner intended to be entertaining

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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

Recent Examples on the Web

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Inside, the cabin has a modern design with high-quality materials, an intuitive infotainment system and spacious seating. —

John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025 The infotainment system graphics have also been updated with V-series iconography. —

Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 At the heart of the airy cabin will be the all-new Panoramic iDrive infotainment system. —

Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2025 Its new Panoramic iDrive infotainment system has a wide, central screen and an optional 3D heads-up display. —

Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for infotainment