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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Dual controls The new dual panel control is a digital screen below the touchscreen infotainment system that acts as both climate control and media control. —

Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024 An infotainment screen that offers access to a reverse camera will also be installed. —

Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 18 Dec. 2024 Plus, the infotainment screen inside shows G-force, the vehicle's pitch in real time, a compass and torque vectoring. —

Morgan Korn, ABC News, 8 Dec. 2024 Under that disguise is a flat-facing infotainment touchscreen that is new to the company's lineup. —

Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for infotainment