infotainment
noun
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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
Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
On the car’s infotainment system, go to Settings and look for a factory reset option.
—Kim Komando, Fox News, 12 Dec. 2024
For example, an automaker might partner with a software company to co-develop an advanced infotainment system that integrates seamlessly with users' digital lives.
—Amaan Kazi, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
As luxury convertibles, both CLE models offer the carmaker’s long signature list of standard equipment: 18-inch wheels to a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 11.9-inch infotainment touchscreen to a Burmester audio system.
—James Raia, The Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Infotainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infotainment. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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