Portmanteau (suitcase)

A portmanteau (IPAEng|pɔrtˈmæntoʊ|), plural portmanteaux, is type of bag commonly found in England and other parts of Europe, and was extremely popular in the 19th century for travel.

The word "portmanteau", is of French origin, deriving from "porter" (to carry, of Latin origin) and the Middle French "manteau" (a coat or cover), equivalent to the English mantle. The word traces back to the mid 16th century in English in which it was used in its arcane form, portemantew, to describe a bag or carrying case for clothing. At the end of the 16th century, it was first used in France, as 'porte-manteau,' to label the human carrier of clothing. By the 17th century, its original meaning was extended to any case or container of a mix of items. [Oxford English Dictionary]

Versions of portmanteau are commonly on sale in the present age.

Lewis Carroll, by applying a form of metaphor, invented the notion of a portmanteau word (meaning a linguistic blend), in his book "Through the Looking Glass".

In Australia, the contraction "Port" has been used since the 18th century, but is gradually disappearing from common usage.

In Queensland and Northern New South Wales, "School Ports" was a term used for school bags into the 1980's, although the term is not used now. However, children still put their "School Bags" into "Port Racks" - though many are unaware of the etymology of the term.

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