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
Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian used Google data so people can see summaries of restaurants, shops and supermarkets from the car’s infotainment screen, a tool that will be rolled out starting next month.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024
The infotainment system offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, along with connected car services via the Aston Martin app.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2024
The software runs on a multi-screen HMI with slim, curved full-width infotainment display sandwiched between the windscreen and lower transparent fascia panel and smaller auxiliary screen adjacent to the steering wheel.
—New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for infotainment 
Articles Related to infotainment
Dictionary Entries Near infotainment
Cite this Entry
“Infotainment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infotainment. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy Citation
Share