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
James Raia, Mercury News, 12 Oct. 2025
The 2026 Kia Carnival is also more powerful than the Sienna and has a much larger standard infotainment screen (12.3 inches).
—Charles Singh, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
Easy to use infotainment system, powerful engine, swiftly usable convertible top makes the MX-5 fit for many consumers.
—Marc D. Grasso, Boston Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Toggle switches to control the infotainment screen are on the right side of the handlebars.
—New Atlas, 22 Sep. 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 22 Oct. 2025.
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