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blending

n. in linguistics, the process of combining the beginning of one word with the end of another to create a wholly new term; for example, Reaganomics is a blend of (Ronald) Reagan and economics. See portmanteau neologism.

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Psychology term of the day

February 23rd 2025

metaworry

metaworry

n.

1. persistent worry about one’s own thoughts and cognitive processes.

2. a negative metacognitive process in which one worries about one’s own worrying and about its potentially harmful effects on oneself. According to British psychologist Adrian Wells, who first described this process in 1994, it contributes to the development of generalized anxiety disorder.