Vol. 10 · Portmanteaus ·Late 20th century ·1994
Infobahn
information autobahn
- Meaning
- The high-speed data networks of the early internet era; an information superhighway.
- Source words
- information + autobahn
- Coined by
- unknown
- Year
- 1994
Background
A short-lived synonym for *information superhighway*, popular in 1994–96 US tech press. *Autobahn* provides the metaphor; the word is now a period piece.
Late 20th century
Marketing, media, and the early internet. Infomercial, emoticon, workaholic — the coinages name phenomena of mass media and white-collar life. Several predate the decades they're associated with.
Two words, one coinage.
Browse every portmanteau on the shelf — or cross over to the loanwords atlas.