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 Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come with, and the infotainment system features the BMW Personal Assistant. Josh Max, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 Open the car’s infotainment system and navigate to the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi settings. Barbara Booth, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2024 The infotainment system uses Google Plus for connected navigation, app store and voice recognition of many features. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 17 Sep. 2024 While most of the vehicle appears to be in stock condition, there’s a small Pioneer touchscreen infotainment system installed in the center beneath the dash. Trinity Francis, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for infotainment 

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.

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

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near infotainment

Cite this Entry

“Infotainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infotainment. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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