infotainment

noun

in·​fo·​tain·​ment ˌin-(ˌ)fō-ˈtān-mənt How to pronounce infotainment (audio)
: television programs that present information (such as news) in a manner intended to be entertaining

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

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When starting the car there was sometimes a lengthy wait for the infotainment to boot up, as if the hardware wasn't quite powerful enough for the software stack on top. ArsTechnica, 1 May 2025 Instead, you are supposed to bring your own devices to provide the infotainment while driving the Slate. Damon C. Williams, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025 Automakers can pack tweaks that aren't part of a recall into the system, including customer enhancements like fresh skin options for the infotainment system and algorithm changes that improve a vehicle's charging curve. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 Music services deliver Atmos directly through apps found within the vehicle’s infotainment system. Mark Phelan, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for infotainment

Word History

Etymology

information + entertainment

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of infotainment was in 1980

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Infotainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infotainment. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!