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 These include power steering, a double-wishbone suspension, a regenerative brake system, and a Bluetooth infotainment system for the interior. —

Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2023 Say goodbye to outdated infotainment systems and hello to hands-free calling, music streaming, and navigation. —

Kirsten Chanel Webber, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023 That would extend beyond infotainment changes to include more in-depth drive mode tweaks and other ways to alter the feel of the EV for each driver. —

Evan Williams, Ars Technica, 26 Oct. 2023 Comedy sometimes comes second to make the infotainment, the sugar on the medicine. —

Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2023 The Gulf War demonstrated the power of CNN and the 24/7 cable-news format, foreshadowing the way infotainment would permeate politics and culture for the next 20 years. —

Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2023 The third category is infotainment systems that provide music and video and can interface with your personal devices through Bluetooth wireless communications. —

Doug Jacobson, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2023 There is no clutter, barely any visible way to control the car’s non-driving functions, a modest infotainment screen, a selector lever and smartphone cradle between the front seats, and, perhaps the most retro-tastic touch of all, beige corduroy upholstery. —

Alex Goy, WIRED, 2 Sep. 2023 For example, the safety system must be able to control the drive train and the infotainment systems. —

Doug Jacobson, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'infotainment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.