Compound Words - Lists, Types, Definition, Formation, Examples

Compound Words

Ever wondered how sentences might exist without words? Fortunately, languages provide us with vast vocabularies. Among these, English boasts an extensive range. Alongside native words, English also incorporates loan words from other languages and forms compound words by merging distinct terms. This piece introduces compound words—what they entail, their meanings, definitions, formation methods, and usage. Explore examples and a list of compound words to grasp their formation and application in language.

What Is a Compound Word? – Meaning and Definition

A compound word is a combination of two or more root words, creating a new term that holds a distinct meaning from its individual components.

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, a compound word is described as “a noun, an adjective, or a verb formed by combining two or more words or segments of words, written as one or joined by a hyphen”. The Cambridge Dictionary similarly defines it as “two or more words connected to create a word with a unique significance”. The Collins Dictionary identifies a compound word as “one composed of two or more words”.

Types of Compound Words

Compound words can be categorized into various types based on their structure and formation. Here are some common types of compound words:

Open Compound Words

Open compound words merge two or more words, maintaining their separate identities. They function as a compound word even when written individually. Typically, an adjective and a noun combine to form a compound noun.

Examples:

First aid
Post office
Living room
High school
Ice cream

Closed Compound Words

Closed compound words unite two words without any space between them. Unlike open compounds, they form a single word.

Examples:

Bedroom
Keyhole
Football
Backspace
Armchair

Hyphenated Compound Words

Hyphenated compound words are created by combining two or more words with a hyphen between them. Often, these words operate as compound adjectives.

Examples:

In-depth
Snow-clad
One-footed
Sun-dried
Day-to-day

Points to Remember When Forming Compound Words

Have you ever tried combining words with entirely different meanings? It's fascinating—some combinations create entirely new meanings, adding vibrancy and interest to your language. But here's the catch: not every word pairing makes a proper compound word. Using compound words requires attention to detail. Here are some key points to consider when forming and utilizing compound words:

Permanent vs. Temporary Compounds

Permanent compound words are entrenched within the language, such as "first aid," "grandmother," "lawsuit," and "blackboard."
Temporary compound words, like "red-headed," "left-handed," "bright-eyed," are coined as needed by speakers or writers.

Structural Form:

Compound nouns are commonly written as closed compound words, while compound verbs are often open compounds. Hyphenated compound words frequently represent compound adjectives. However, this isn't an absolute rule and may vary.

Hyphenated Usage:

Hyphenated compound words are typically hyphenated when placed before the noun they describe or modify.

Formation of Compound Words

Compound words, as previously explained, are the result of merging two words, often from different parts of speech. Here's a breakdown of compound words formed by combining various parts of speech:

Noun + Noun

This type combines two nouns to create a new noun. For instance, "sunflower," where "sun" and "flower" merge to represent a particular type of flower.

Bedroom
Music band
Water tank
Starfish
Sunflower
Girlfriend
Police woman
Football

Noun + Verb

Combining a noun and a verb produces compound words like "firefly" or "rainfall." These words denote unique concepts, such as an insect that emits light or precipitation.

Firefly
Rainfall
Sunset
Photoshoot
Sunrise
Raindrop
Haircut
Snowfall

Verb + Noun

This combination results in words like "swimsuit" or "proofread." Here, the action (verb) is linked to a noun, creating words related to clothing or editing tasks.

Swim suit
Typewriter
Postman
Post office
Notebook
Breakfast
Proofread
Babysit

Verb + Preposition

Words like "takeaway" or "check-in" merge verbs with prepositions or adverbs to form terms related to actions or processes.

Takeaway
Shutdown
Drawback
Check-in
Check-out
Lookout
Takedown
Breakup

Preposition + Verb

Examples include "input" or "understand". Here, prepositions or adverbs combine with verbs to express actions or states.

Intake
Outdo
Input
Output
Overthrow
Understand
Underestimate
Overlay

Noun + Adjective

Compound words like "blackboard" or "houseful" merge nouns with adjectives, often forming terms related to size, color, or quantity.

Houseful
Heartbroken
Spoonful
Wireless
Lifelong
Snow-white
Sky-blue
Worldwide

Adjective + Noun

Words like "full-time" or "greenhouse" join adjectives with nouns to describe timeframes or specific structures.

Greenhouse
Blackboard
Full-time
Superhero
Hotdog
Blacksmith
Long-term
Last-minute

Gerund + Noun

These compounds, such as "washing machine" or "sightseeing," combine gerunds (verbs ending in "-ing") with nouns, expressing activities or objects related to those actions.

Washing machine
Dining room
Swimming pool
Driving license
Breaking point
Melting point
Living room
Working day

Noun + Gerund

This combination reverses the order, placing a noun before a gerund, leading to words like "sightseeing" or "air conditioning". "Sightseeing" involves visiting places of interest.

Sightseeing
Mind-blowing
Nerve-wracking
Nail-biting
Brainstorming
Mind-mapping
Air conditioning
Time-consuming

Preposition + Noun

Combining prepositions with nouns creates terms like "overview" or "upstairs", often referring to locations or perspectives.

Underworld
Overview
Undergraduate
Oversight
Bystander
Afterlife
Background
Forehead
Upstairs

Compound words can enrich language by succinctly encapsulating complex ideas or entities. Understanding the formation and usage of compound words allows for effective communication and creativity within a language. They are integral to linguistic diversity, allowing for the evolution and expansion of vocabulary.

Examples of Compound Words

Here's an extensive list of commonly used compound words in English, showcasing a diverse range of concepts and objects:

List of Commonly-Used Compound Words in English

Here is the list of commonly used compound words in table form:

Compound Words
Blackboard	South-west	North-east	Indo-European	Afro-American
First aid	Bedroom	Bathroom	Washing machine	Vending machine
Living room	Swimming pool	Drawing room	Copyright	Typewriter
Managing director	Day-to-day	Blood pressure	Cold-blooded	Eye opener
Microorganism	Cupboard	Footnote	Locksmith	Blacksmith
Goldsmith	Giveaway	In-depth	Breakup	Breakdown
Blowout	Housefull	Showdown	Long term	Sunflower
Dilly dally	Postman	Post office	Breakfast	Notebook
Superhero	Hot dog	Full moon	Merry-go-round	Grandfather
Mother-in-law	Father-in-law	Sister-in-law	Brother-in-law	Granddaughter
Grandson	Grandchild	Good-hearted	Last minute	Real estate
Mind-blowing	Far-fetched	Warmup	Firefly	Butterfly
Grasshopper	Blueberry	Strawberry	Half-baked	Raincoat
All-nighter	Know-it-all	Smartphone	Starfish	Runway
Toothbrush	Time table	Hopscotch	Uptown	Eyeball
Keyboard	Cupcake	Homework	Underground	Popcorn
Daydream	Nightmare	Midnight	Downstairs	Upstairs
Parking lot	Worksheet	Snow white	Keypoint	Handout
Raindrop	Hometown	Extracurricular	Network	French fries
Brainstorm	Teaspoon	Tablespoon	Handbag	Earthworm
Greenhouse	Milkshake	Farewell	Showoff	Newsletter
Subway	Pathway	Dead-end	Homemade	Handmade
Peanut	Jellybean	Afternoon	Namesake	Foolproof
Waterproof	Soundproof	Policeman	Scarecrow	Passport
Forearm	Eyebrow	Nose ring	Earring	Staircase

Compound words vs. other types of words

Here's a breakdown of how compound words differ from portmanteaus, contractions, acronyms, simple words, and complex words:

Portmanteaus

Portmanteaus, also known as blends, result from combining two words where at least one undergoes a modification, such as omitting letters or rearranging them. Unlike compound words, portmanteaus don't include complete words but combine partial elements to form a new word.

Examples: Portmanteaus

Smog [smoke + fog]: Common in industrial areas, a mixture of smoke and fog poses a threat.
Multiverse [multiple + universe]: It denotes the collection of all possible universes.

Contractions

Contractions involve shortening words by omitting some letters, often marked by an apostrophe. While some contractions form single words with omitted letters, most combine two or more words. Contractions differ from compound words because they don't retain the full words they are formed from, replacing letters with apostrophes.

Examples: Contractions

C’mon, let’s go! [let us]: An informal contraction urging someone to hurry.
It’s hard for me [it is]: An example of the contraction "it's" for "it is".

Acronyms

Acronyms abbreviate phrases by using initial letters or syllables from each word. They can be pronounced as individual letters or as complete words. Unlike compound words, acronyms do not incorporate the complete words they represent but condense phrases into single units.

Examples: Acronyms

WHO [World Health Organization]: The organization named the disease "COVID-19".
BBC [British Broadcasting Corporation]: A widely known initialism.

Simple and Complex Words

Simple words cannot be further divided into meaningful units, whereas complex words consist of multiple components, each contributing to the word's meaning. Compound words differ from complex words as they are formed by joining complete words that can exist independently.

Examples: Simple and Complex Words

Run: A simple word without further divisible meaning.
Runner: A complex word with "run" (the verb) and "-er" (a suffix denoting a person performing the action).

Note:

Even words with hyphenated prefixes ("pre-approve," "anti-glare") are usually considered complex words as their prefixes cannot stand alone as independent words.

Test Your Understanding of Compound Words

Here's a list of compound words formed by combining the given words in various forms:

Sick	White
Written	Minded
Washed	Home
Hand	Well
Known	Broad
Hair	Lap
Half	Right
Card	Top
Handed	Cut
Flash	Sister

Home + Sick → Homesick
Hand + Written → Handwritten
White + Washed → White-washed
Well + Known → Well-known
Hair + Cut → Haircut
Half + Sister → Half-sister
Flash + Card → Flashcard
Right + Handed → Right-handed
Lap + Top → Laptop
Broad + Minded → Broad-minded

These words represent a mix of open, closed, and hyphenated compound words formed by combining the given individual words.

Related Links
Parts of Speech	Noun
Abstract Nouns	Common Nouns

Compound Words FAQs

What Are Compound Words?

Compound words are formed by combining two or more words to create a new word or phrase that represents a specific concept or object. These words can be formed in different ways, such as by merging open words (e.g., "swimming" + "pool" = "swimming pool"), closed words (e.g., "notebook"), or hyphenated words (e.g., "mother-in-law").

How Are Compound Words Formed?

Compound words can be formed in various ways: Open compound words: Words that are written separately, like "ice cream". Closed compound words: Words that are written together without spaces, like "bedroom". Hyphenated compound words: Words joined by hyphens, like "well-being".

What's the Purpose of Compound Words?

Compound words allow for the creation of new terms to describe specific things or concepts concisely. They enhance language efficiency by condensing ideas into single words, simplifying communication.

Are All Compound Words Officially Recognized?

Many compound words are recognized and accepted in the dictionary. However, language is dynamic, and new compound words continually emerge as language evolves. Not all might be immediately recognized or officially documented.

Can Compound Words Change Their Form Over Time?

Yes, the structure of compound words can evolve. Sometimes, they change from open to closed or hyphenated forms or vice versa based on usage trends and language conventions.