infotainment
noun
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
John Paul, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
So are a digital rearview mirror, moonroof, and a 14-inch infotainment system.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 30 Nov. 2025
Standard on our tester was a 12-inch infotainment screen, 120V power outlet, LED lights, Head-Up display, 360-degree camera and Ford Co-Pilot.
—Marc D. Grasso, Boston Herald, 27 Nov. 2025
The cockpit lacks an infotainment screen, but there is USB charging plus a phone holder.
—New Atlas, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infotainment
Cite this Entry
“Infotainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infotainment. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
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