What Are Compound Words?
Compound words are two or more words, each with separate meanings, that join together to form a new word with its own meaning.
Why Learn Compound Words?
Children begin learning compound words in The Good and the Beautiful Language Arts Level 1 course. They learn that a compound word is made of two words joined together. Learning to read compound words introduces new readers to longer words.
Children in Language Arts Level 1 read simple one- to two-syllable words like bath, tub, butter, and fly. Joining words like these into compound words boosts confidence as children read longer words with ease. Learn more about our FREE homeschool curriculum here.
Compound Words for Kids
We have gathered a list of more than 300 common compound words for kids. A printable version of this list is in our free download below.
Compound Words for Advanced Readers
The compound words shared so far in this blog are called closed compound words, two words joined together to form a single new word. Two other types of compound words are open and hyphenated.
Readers recognize open compound words as two separate words that team up to have one joint meaning. For example, “peanut butter” is two separate words that team together to form one meaning. Here are some other examples.
When to Hyphenate Compound Words
Knowing exactly when to use a hyphen or space between compound words gets tricky. The easiest way to learn when to use each is by becoming familiar with seeing compound words in print. Reading great books builds children’s vocabulary and helps them know when to hyphenate compound words!
Reading great books builds children’s vocabulary!
Hyphenated compound words are easy to identify by a hyphen, rather than a space, used between each word. The rules for when to use a hyphen in a compound word can be a bit confusing.
For example, in the sentence, “He took a year-long journey through South America,” a hyphen is used between the words year and long because the words are used as an adjective.
Used as nouns, however, hyphenated compound words look like this: “We gave the traveler a big send-off as he boarded the plane.”
Practice compound words with our fun, one-of-a-kind Luke and Lily of the Lighthouse Game (and accompanying Book Set!).
Download our free Compound Words list (with more than 300 compound words)!
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The Truth About The Good and the Beautiful
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Scientists are big into molecular compounds, and there is something kind of magical about them. You can start with a couple of atoms of hydrogen, add another atom of oxygen, and bada bing: water. Two distinct elements come together to create something entirely different.
It’s exactly the same with words. Well, maybe not exactly the same, but English is such a flexible, creative language that it’s filled with compound words—and new ones are popping up all the time to suit our ever-changing world. Some useful compound words recently added to Merriam-Webster are clickbait, photobomb, binge-watch, humblebrag, and spit-take.
So what is a compound word? How do you know whether it should be a closed compound, a hyphenated compound, or an open compound? What about compound sentences? We’ll look at all of these in this post.
When two (or occasionally, three) words work together to express a single idea, that’s a compound word. Compound words can be open, closed, or hyphenated, and they can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. English is full of preexisting compound words—or you can make up your own to suit the situation.
No one at the Star Trek convention really appreciated my Klingon-librarian costume.
The lung-collapsing dead-flower stench of my aunt Penelope’s perfume was headache-inducingly strong.
What is an open compound word?
An open compound word is two separate words (without even a hyphen to link them) functioning as a single idea.
When we were in high school, we regularly ate French fries, hot dogs, and ice cream with peanut butter as an afterschool snack.
What is a hyphenated compound word?
A hyphenated compound word is a term composed of two (or more) words connected by a hyphen. Like other compound words, a hyphenated compound can be a noun, adjective, or adverb.
The gun-toting, card-carrying FBI agent hid her angst well.
What is a closed compound word?
A closed compound word is a single word constructed of two or more other words. Most closed compound words were once open or hyphenated, but continued use solidified them—made them a single unit. Today’s open or hyphenated compounds are tomorrow’s closed compounds.
The moonlight coming through my bedroom window is so bright it outshines my flashlight.
Every afternoon, she wrote another story in her notebook; my favorite is the one about the starfish who loved rainbows and strawberries.
How do you know whether a compound word is open, hyphenated, or closed?
There’s really no trick to this! You look it up in a dictionary (like Merriam-Webster). Compound words evolve over time, so what was once black-bird is now blackbird, and what was once a web site is now almost always a website.
Don’t worry if you find dictionaries contradicting each other! Not every dictionary agrees on which compounds are open, hyphenated, or closed. Some offer health care and voice mail, for example, as two words, but others hyphenate or close those same compounds. In such cases, you’re free to use the spelling you prefer, except if you’re supposed to be following a particular style guide.
For example, the Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) says that when a compound modifier comes before a noun, it’s never wrong to hyphenate it, since it can aid readability.
The seventy-year-old professor despaired for the dull-witted students in her late-afternoon class.
But (Chicago goes on to say) when compound modifiers follow the noun, leave them unhyphenated (even if they’re hyphenated in the dictionary).
The professor, who was almost seventy years old, couldn’t understand why her students were so dull witted by late afternoon.
What is a compound noun?
Compound words can be nouns, adjectives, adverbs—and even verbs (like pole-vault or double-click). In each case, they can be open, hyphenated, or closed. Compound nouns are perhaps the most common type of compound word. Here are some examples of compound nouns (some closed, some open, some hyphenated).
Susan’s grandmother, my mother-in-law, had a skylight above the bookcase in her living room that let in rainwater.
Watch out for the sometimes-unusual plurals of hyphenated compound nouns.
The workmen fixing the two merry-go-rounds in the local park typically catcalled all passersby, but they stopped once our attorneys-at-law sent them a warning.
What is a compound name?
A compound name is essentially a compound proper noun—a multiword term (often an open compound, though not always) that names a single entity.
Like Popeye, Black Panther gets at least some of his powers from eating his greens—in his case, the heart-shaped herb. But I bet Superman liked Cheez-Its better.
What’s important here is that these proper nouns are always preexisting compounds, so if you’re turning an open compound name into part of a compound modifier (see more about compound adjectives and adverbs below), you’ll need to use an en dash rather than a hyphen.
My new World War I–era cloche didn’t really go with anything in my New York–style wardrobe, so naturally I had to go shopping.
What is a compound adjective?
A compound adjective is a single adjective made up of more than one word—and it’s often a compound noun (or even compound name) being used to modify another noun. According to CMoS, it’s never wrong to hyphenate multiword adjectives when they precede a noun, even if they’re familiar open compounds like high school.
High-school students often have more brain-draining homework than college students.
My silly-voiced sister found her calling in advertising.
When a compound name functions as an adjective, there’s no need for a hyphen.
Penny was thrilled to win Dolly Parton tickets.
The Los Angeles weather is typically hot and sunny.
As touched on above, when a compound adjective follows a noun, the hyphen is usually not necessary.
Georgia is a well-read academic.
Georgia is well read.
I found a useful list of low-calorie cocktails.
I found a useful list of cocktails, all of them low calorie.
Remember that compound adjectives made from an adverb ending in –ly plus an adjective are never hyphenated. The -ly is enough of a signal that what follows is meant to be read together with the preceding word.
Sarah’s short-tempered grandfather griped about her recital, calling it a really dull concert.
Sarah’s grandfather, always short tempered, griped about her recital, describing it as really dull.
What is a compound adverb?
A compound adverb looks like a single word but (closely examined) is actually made up of two or more words working together to function as a single adverb. They’re often rather old fashioned, and they can sound stuffy and pompous so are best used sparingly: notwithstanding, nevertheless, heretofore, albeit, and so on.
Phrasal adverbs are very similar to compound adverbs, and they’re rather more useful.
I scattered rose petals here and there.
The newly married couple walked arm in arm.
Joseph goes running every day.
What is a compound sentence?
And here’s the bonus section (because the last thing we want to do is compound anyone’s confusion about compounds)!
Compound sentences are grammatically unrelated to compound words, but that still doesn’t answer the key question: What is a compound sentence? A compound sentence is when two or more independent clauses, each with its own subject and verb plus attendant objects and phrases, are joined with a coordinating conjunction (one of the FANBOYS: for, and, nor but, or, yet, so). Here, the key thing to remember is to always include a comma after the first independent clause and before the conjunction.
I read this blog post about compound words, but they didn’t explain about compound sentences, so I had to keep on searching.
My son’s story about the strawberry-loving starfish was really cute, so I sent it to my sister, and she loved it too.
Compounding (also known as composition or nominal composition) is important in linguistics because it allows for new words to be made and exists in most, if not all, languages. For some languages (like Chinese) it is a major source of new word formation.
Fig. 1 — Compounding combines words to create new words.
What is Compounding?
Compounding (from Latin componere, meaning ‘to put together’) combines two or more words to create a new one.
Steam + boat = Steamboat
Bed + room = Bedroom
Hair + cut = Haircut
Motor + cycle = Motorcycle
Compound elements
A compound is made up of various parts of speech such as a noun, verb, and adverb.
This means that compounds can be a combination of noun plus noun, verb plus noun, adjective plus noun, etc.
The word «bedroom» is made up of two nouns, bed and room.
The word «sunrise» is made up of a noun and a verb, sun and rise.
The word «greenhouse» is made up of an adjective and a noun, green and house.
Compounds can be written as one word, two separate words, or a word with a hyphen.
Note: Compounds are made up of complete words; this process is called nominal composition and should not be confused with morphological derivation.
Morphological derivation is when a new word is made from an existing word, usually by adding prefixes or suffixes. For example, employment is made of the verb employ plus the suffix morpheme —ment.
Classical compounds is another category of compounds, derived from Latin or ancient Greek.
Biography is a compound of the Greek words bios (life) and graphia (writing), which by the 17th century had become biography.
Agriculture is a compound of the Latin words ager (field) and cultura (growing / cultivation) which became ‘agriculture’ in late Middle English.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation can help to determine the meaning of words. Depending on how we pronounce a word, this can change its meaning. One important aspect of our pronunciations is stress. Let’s look at this in more detail:
Stress
Stress in pronunciation is when we place greater emphasis on one syllable or word than on other parts of a sentence; this usually helps us to recognize and understand the meaning of a word.
Stress is useful in helping us to understand the difference between a compound noun and an adjective with a noun. In the following examples, note where the stress falls:
A greenhouse = place where we grow plants (compound noun).
A green house = house painted green (adjective and noun).
A bluebird = type of bird (compound noun).
A blue bird = any bird with blue feathers (adjective and noun).
Compound elements
Noun + noun
bedroom
toothpaste
database
Noun + verb
greenhouse
software
redhead
Adverb + verb
output
overthrow
upturn
input
The Suspended Compound
The suspended compound is used to avoid repetition with longer words.
For example, instead of saying: ‘There are mostly eighteenth-century or nineteenth-century buildings in the town centre,’ we can shorten the first compound and say: » There are mostly eighteenth- or nineteenth-century buildings in the town centre. »
Other examples:
Short- and long-term plans are equally valid.
Both first- and second-class tickets cost the same.
Compounding across the globe
Compounds exist in virtually every language.
Let’s look at some examples from around the world.
| English | Italian | Spanish |
| science fiction | fantascienza | ciencia-ficción |
| science + fiction | imaginary + science | science + fiction |
| Dutch | English | Composition |
| verjaardagskalender | birthday calendar | verjaardag ‘birthday’ + calendar ‘calendar’ |
| Klantenserviceemedewerker | customer service representative | clanten ‘customers’ + service ‘service’ + medewerker ‘worker’ |
| university library | university library | university ‘university’ + library ‘library’ |
| Chinese | English | Composition |
| 谢谢 | thanks | Repeating of 謝 xiè thank |
| 摩天 楼 | skyscraper | 摩 mó touch + 天 tiān sky + 楼 lóu building (with more than 1 storey |
| 学生 | college student | 學 xué learn + 生 shēng living being |
| 百科 全書 | encyclopaedia | 百 bǎi hundred + 科 kē (branch of) study + 全 quán entire / complete + 書 shū book |
| Finnish | English | Composition |
| sanakirja | dictionary | sana ‘word’ + kirja ‘book’ |
| tietokone | computer | tieto ‘knowledge data’ + kone ‘machine’ |
| German | English | Composition |
| skyscraper | skyscraper | Clouds’ + scratches’ scraper ‘ |
| railroad | railway | Iron ‘iron’ + train ‘track’ |
| Ancient Greek | English | Composition |
| φιλόσοφος | philosopher | φίλος phílos ‘beloved’ + σοφία sophíā ‘wisdom’ |
| δημοκρατία | democracy | δῆμος dêmos ‘people’ + κράτος ‘rule’ |
| Italian | English | Composition |
| millepiedi | centipede | mille ‘thousand’ + piedi ‘feet’ |
| ferrovia | railway | ferro ‘iron’ + via ‘way’ |
Compounds and form
Compound nouns can be written in three ways: open form, closed form and hyphenated form.
Open form compounds
An open (or spaced) compound is written as two separate words.
washing machine,
water bottle.
Closed form compounds
A closed (or solid) compound is written as one word.
rainfall,
drawback,
toothpaste.
Hyphenated form compounds
A hyphenated compound is written with a hyphen.
Check in,
hanger-on,
mother-in-law.
Some compounds are made up of two similar-sounding elements, such as:
- goody-goody,
- hush-hush,
- razzle-dazzle.
These are called reduplicative compounds and are usually hyphenated if each element has one or more syllables. However, closed form is also common, as in:
- crisscross,
- knickknack,
- singsong.
Compound subclasses
Compounds are usually made up of two words:
One word gives the basic meaning of the whole compound and is called the head, the other word (the modifier) qualifies this meaning (ie. it gives us more specific information about the head).
Compounds can be divided into four subclasses:
Endocentric
Exocentric
Coordinative
Appositional
Endocentric compounds
In endocentric compounds, the meaning of the whole word tends to be clear and relates to the head.
The first word will be the modifier. The head word comes second and categorizes the compound. This is called a head final. The modifier will qualify the meaning of the head final.
In the compound word cookbook, book is the head (it gives us the main meaning) and cook is the modifier (it tells us what kind of book).
In the compound word doghouse, house is the head and dog is the modifier, and this tells us it is a house intended for a dog.
Endocentric compounds tend to be of the same part of speech (word class) as their head, as in the case of doghouse, which is made up of a noun plus noun .
Cat food tells us what type of food (food intended for cats).
Water bottle tells us what type of bottle (a bottle we can drink water from).
Because the modifier gives us a specialisation of the head word, this type of compound is also known as a descriptive compound.
Fig. 2 — Cookbook is an endocentric compound.
Exocentric compounds
With exocentric compounds, the meaning is not obvious and often seems unrelated to any part of the compound itself.
Facebook is not a type of book.
Scarecrow is not a type of crow.
Paperback is not a type of back.
Facebook is a social media platform, yet we couldn’t guess this from the words used to make the compound. The same goes for scarecrow, a figure created to scare birds away from crops, and paperback, which is a type of book.
Exocentric compounds lack a clear head and are also often called headless compounds.
Coordinative compounds
Coordinative (or copulative) compounds are compounds with two semantic heads that work in coordination. The meanings will be related, or have similar origins, without being the same thing.
Semantic gives us the meaning or interpretation of a word.
For example, actor-manager means someone who is an actor and a theatre manager.
Producer-director is a person who is a producer and a director.
Camper-trailer is a vehicle that is a camper and a trailer.
Theater-museum is a building that is both a theater and a museum.
Coordinative compounds are often used to describe people’s professions and can be made up of as many as five words.
Designer-builder is a person who designs and builds.
Listener-viewer-reader is a person who lists, watches (films) and reads (books).
Musician-writer-fillmmaker is a musician who is also a professional writer and filmmaker.
Fig. 3 — Musician-writer-filmmaker is a coordinative compound.
Appositional compounds
Appositional compounds are made up of (two) words that each describe the compound differently.
For example, instead of saying ‘these prehistoric tribes were both hunters and gatherers’ you could say ‘these prehistoric tribes were hunter-gatherers’.
Player-coach means a person who is both a player and a coach.
Student-teacher is a student who also teaches.
Singer-songwriter is a singer who is also a songwriter.
Table summary
| Type | Description | Examples |
| Endocentric | A + B = a special kind of B | Whiteboard, darkroom |
| Exocentric | A + B = an external, unrelated meaning | Redhead, cowhand |
| Coordinative | A + B = ‘the sum’ of what A and B denote | Producer-director, theater-museum |
| Appositional |
A and B offer different descriptions for the same thing or person |
Hunter-gatherer, student-teacher |
Brahuvrihi compounds:
Brahuvrihi compounds are a subclass of exocentric compounds, and are also known as possessive compounds. This is when the first part (or word) of the compound is a specific feature of the second.
Hunchback is a person who has a hunched, or very curved, back.
Bluebell is a particular type of bell-shaped flower coloured blue.
A highbrow is a brow that is high (and associated with intelligence or intellect).
White-collar is a collar that is white (and therefore associated with office workers).
Barefoot is used when a person walks about without shoes on
The term comes from Sanskrit bahuvrīhi, which is also this type of compound, from bahu much + vrīh rice.
Possessive or bahuvrihi compounds are often used in English to describe characteristics of people, and can be figurative, or non-literal, in their meaning.
Green thumb suggests a person who is good at growing green things eg a gardener.
Hothead suggests a person with a quick (or ‘hot’) temper.
Egghead suggests someone who is studious or intellectual (originally a ‘bald person’, possibly associated with academics).
Goldilocks is used to describe locks of hair that are golden in color.
Greedyguts suggests someone who has a greedy stomach or is greedy by nature.
Lazybones suggests that a person is idle or lazy.
What are Compound Sentences?
Compound words are a combination of two or more words.
Compound sentences are a combination of two or more independent clauses.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. (Joseph Heller, 1923-1999)
In the above sentence, we have three independent clauses. Note how they are linked by commas and the conjunction ‘and’.
A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. They can be joined by:
- a semicolon,
- a comma and coordinating conjunction eg ‘and’, ‘or’ and ‘but’.
«I love to travel, but I hate to arrive.» (Albert Einstein, 1879-1955)
Compounding — key takeaways
- Compounding combines two or more words to create a new word.
- A compound is made up of various parts of speech such as noun, verb, and adverb.
- Compounds can be a combination of noun plus noun, verb plus noun, adjective plus noun etc.
- Compounds can be written as one word, as two separate words, or as a word with a hyphen.
- Compounds can be divided into four subclasses: endocentric, exocentric, coordinative and appositional.
- Compound sentences are a combination of two or more independent clauses, linked by ‘and’, ‘but’ or a semi-colon.
Every word has its own meaning. You can search for the definition of every term in the dictionary. But do you know that you can put two words together and have a brand new meaning? Of course, not all words can be put together for such a case. However, many ones are already accepted in the English language. These words are called compound words.
What Are Compound Words?
Compound words are formed when two or more words are combined to produce a new one. This newly-constructed word has its own meaning that can either be related to the base words or not.
Types of Compound Words
Open Compound Words
Open compound words remain separate when written but are used together to create a new idea. For example, “peanut” and “butter” are unrelated to each other. But when you combine them and use them as one word, you will have “peanut butter,” which is already a different noun with its own meaning.
Closed Compound Words
Closed compound words are formed by combining two fully independent words together without space in between. An example of a closed-form compound word is “grandfather,” in which “grand” and “father” are put together.
Hyphenated Compound Words
Another possible form of a compound word is the hyphenated one. From the word itself, the independent terms used are separated by a hyphen or dash. A common example is “mother-in-law.”
Compound Nouns
Compound nouns are simply compound words that act as nouns. Nouns are names of people, animals, places, things, or events. However, it does not mean that the two words comprising it should only be nouns. A compound noun can be formed by combining two nouns, an adjective and a noun, a verb and a noun, and many more.
Compound Verbs
A compound verb is also called a complex predicate. It is a multi-word compound that acts as a single verb. It can be constructed by putting together a verb and a preposition or a verb and an adverb (phrasal verbs). Auxiliary verbs that are followed by the main verb can also be considered compounds. Some other combinations that involve a verb and a non-verb word can also be considered compound verbs if they indicate action.
Compound Adjectives
Two or more words that function as one and describe a noun are called compound adjectives. Usually, they are separated by a hyphen.
List of Compound Words
Open Compound Words
- Ice cream
- Ice cream cake
- Ice cube
- Cream cheese
- Hot dog
- Corn dog
- Corned beef
- Apple pie
- Sugar plum
- Web page
- Table cloth
- Fire drill
- Fire drill
- Fire exit
- High school
- Roller coaster
- Living room
- First aid
- Full moon
- Tea cup
- Serving spoon
- Real estate
- Car pool
- Cotton bud
- Cotton ball
- Video game
- Coffee grain
- Coffee mug
- Post office
- Upper deck
- Hand towel
- Sweet tooth
- Common sense
- Dance hall
- Police officer
- Vice president
- Science fiction
- Root word
- Candy cane
- Christmas tree
- Cell membrane
- Jumping jack
- Report card
- Credit card
- Debit card
- Radio wave
- Snack house
- Coffee shop
- Bus stop
- Swimming pool
- Rubber band
- Ice hockey
- Ice skate
- Break up
- Take away
- Take out
- Break away
- Lift up
- Push down
- Pull down
- Ask out
- Ask around
- Make up
- Turn in
- Fill up
- Fill out
- Fill in
Closed Compound Words
- Basketball
- Football
- Baseball
- Worldwide
- Overpass
- Southeast
- Northeast
- Northwest
- Southwest
- Bushfire
- Mailbox
- Snowball
- Skateboard
- Sailboat
- Birthday
- Blackboard
- Everything
- Anything
- Anyone
- Everyone
- Classmate
- Schoolmate
- Playmate
- Grandmother
- Grandfather
- Granddaughter
- Grandson
- Grasshopper
- Sunflower
- Sunrise
- Sunshine
- Moonlight
- Freelance
- Eyeball
- Eyebrow
- Eyelash
- Armpit
- Playground
- Teamwork
- Stoplight
- Flashlight
- Lighthouse
- Fireman
- Rainbow
- Raindrop
- Bedroom
- Popcorn
- Keyboard
- Notepad
- Keyhole
- Keystone
- Pothole
- Bowtie
- Necktie
- Brainwash
- Proofread
- Babysit
- Horseshoe
- Highlight
- Notebook
- Bookstore
- Lipstick
- Makeup
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Airbrush
- Crosswalk
- Crossroad
- Crossover
- Nightfall
- Riverbank
- Nutcracker
- Candlelight
- Backstroke
- Hamburger
- Cheeseburger
- Sandwich
- Homesick
- Uptown
- Rattlesnake
- Workplace
- Wrongdoing
- Springtime
- Underdog
- Strawberry
- Blueberry
- Watermelon
- Pineapple
- Cupcake
Hyphenated Compound Words
- Mother-in-law
- Father-in-law
- Sister-in-law
- Brother-in-law
- Sergeant-at-arms
- Merry-go-round
- Happy-go-lucky
- Editor-in-chief
- Over-the-counter
- Up-to-date
- State-of-the-art
- Long-term
- High-speed
- Left-handed
- Right-handed
- In-depth
- Full-length
- Part-time
- Long-haired
- Sun-dried
- Breath-taking
- Self-centered
- Well-off
- Well-known
- Gift-wrap
- Follow-up
- Well-being
- Single-minded
- Knee-length
- Short-tempered
- Off-site
- Runner-up
- One-sided
- Tip-off
- Blush-on
- Sugar-free
- Ice-cold
- Far-flung
- High-rise
- Life-size
- King-size
- Warm-blooded
- Cold-blooded
- Get-together
- Next-door
A Huge List of Compound Words
Following is a list of 1000 close compound words in English
- Aboveboard
- Afterbirth
- Afterburner
- Afterglow
- Afterimage
- Afterlife
- Aftermath
- Afternoon
- Airbrush
- Aircraft
- Airfield
- Airlift
- Airline
- Airliner
- Airmail
- Airman
- Airmen
- Airplane
- Airport
- Airship
- Airtime
- Allover
- Allspice
- Alongside
- Also
- Another
- Anybody
- Anyhow
- Anymore
- Anyone
- Anyplace
- Anything
- Anytime
- Anyway
- Anywhere
- Armchair
- Armpit
- Around
- Arrowhead
- Ashtray
- Authorship
- Babysit
- Babysitter
- Backache
- Backbite
- Backbone
- Backbreaker
- Backdrop
- Backfield
- Backfire
- Background
- Backhand
- Backlash
- Backlog
- Backpack
- Backside
- Backslap
- Backslide
- Backspace
- Backspin
- Backstage
- Backstop
- Backstretch
- Backstroke
- Backtrack
- Backward
- Ballpark
- Ballroom
- Bankbook
- Bankroll
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Beachcomb
- Became
- Because
- Become
- Bedbug
- Bedclothes
- Bedrock
- Bedroll
- Bedroom
- Bellbottom
- Bellboy
- Bellhop
- Below
- Birthday
- Blackball
- Blackberries
- Blackbird
- Blackboard
- Blackjack
- Blacklist
- Blackmail
- Blackout
- Blacksmith
- Blacktop
- Bluebell
- Blueberry
- Bluebird
- Bluefish
- Bluegrass
- Blueprint
- Boardwalk
- Bodyguard
- Bodywork
- Boldface
- Bookbinder
- Bookcase
- Bookend
- Bookkeeper
- Booklet
- Bookmark
- Bookmobile
- Bookseller
- Bookshelf
- Bookstore
- Bookworm
- Bootstrap
- Bowtie
- Brainchild
- Brainstorm
- Brainwash
- Bugspray
- Bushfire
- Buttercup
- Butterfat
- Butterfingers
- Butterflies
- Buttermilk
- Butternut
- Butterscotch
- Bypass
- Cabdriver
- Cancan
- Candid
- Candlelight
- Candlestick
- Cannot
- Cardboard
- Cardsharp
- Cardstock
- Carefree
- Caretaker
- Careworn
- Carfare
- Cargo
- Carhop
- Carload
- Carpetbagger
- Carpool
- Carport
- Carrack
- Carryall
- Carsick
- Cartwheel
- Carwash
- Cattail
- Catwalk
- Caveman
- Centercut
- Cheeseburger
- Cheesecake
- Classmate
- Clockwise
- Coffeemaker
- Comeback
- Comedown
- Commonplace
- Commonwealth
- Cornball
- Cornmeal
- Cornstalk
- Cornwall
- Cottonmouth
- Cottontail
- Cottonwood
- Countdown
- Counterattack
- Counterbalance
- Counterclockwise
- Counterintelligence
- Countermeasure
- Counteroffensive
- Counterpane
- Counterpart
- Counterpoint
- Counterpoise
- Courthouse
- Courtroom
- Courtyard
- Crewcut
- Crossbow
- Crossbreed
- Crosscut
- Crossover
- Crossroad
- Crosstown
- Crosswalk
- Crossword
- Cupcake
- Dairymaid
- Daisywheel
- Daybed
- Daybook
- Daybreak
- Daydream
- Daylight
- Daytime
- Deadend
- Deadline
- Dishcloth
- Dishpan
- Dishwasher
- Dishwater
- Diskdrive
- Dogwood
- Doorstop
- Downbeat
- Downunder
- Drawbridge
- Driveway
- Duckbill
- Duckpin
- Earache
- Eardrop
- Eardrum
- Earring
- Earthbound
- Earthquake
- Earthward
- Earthworm
- Egghead
- Eggshell
- Elsewhere
- Everyone
- Everything
- Eyeball
- Eyeballs
- Eyebrow
- Eyecatching
- Eye-catching
- Eyeglasses
- Eyelash
- Eyelid
- Eyesight
- Eyewitness
- Fatherland
- Fatherless
- Firearm
- Fireball
- Fireboat
- Firebomb
- Firebox
- Firebreak
- Firecracker
- Firefighter
- Fireflies
- Firehouse
- Fireman
- Fireproof
- Firewater
- Fireworks
- Fishbowl
- Fisherman
- Fisheye
- Fishhook
- Fishlike
- Fishmonger
- Fishnet
- Fishpond
- Fishtail
- Flashlight
- Football
- Foothill
- Foothold
- Footlights
- Footlocker
- Footnote
- Footpath
- Footprints
- Footrest
- Forbearer
- Forbid
- Forearm
- Forebear
- Forecast
- Forecastle
- Foreclose
- Foreclosure
- Foredoom
- Forefather
- Forefinger
- Forefront
- Forehand
- Forehead
- Foreleg
- Foreman
- Foremost
- Forepaws
- Forerunner
- Foresee
- Foresight
- Forestall
- Forestland
- Forever
- Forget
- Forgive
- Forklift
- Format
- Fortnight
- Freelance
- Friendship
- Fruitcup
- Gearshift
- Glassmaking
- Goodbye
- Goodnight
- Grandaunt
- Grandchild
- Grandchildren
- Granddaughter
- Grandfather
- Grandmaster
- Grandmother
- Grandnephew
- Grandnieces
- Grandparent
- Grandson
- Grandstand
- Granduncle
- Grasshopper
- Graveyard
- Gumball
- Haircut
- Hamburger
- Hammerhead
- Hamstring
- Handball
- Handbook
- Handcuff
- Handgun
- Handmade
- Handout
- Headache
- Headdress
- Headhunter
- Headlight
- Headline
- Headquarters
- Hedgehop
- Heirloom
- Hellcat
- Hellhole
- Helpmate
- Helpmeet
- Hemstitch
- Henceforth
- Henchman
- Henpeck
- Hereabout
- Hereafter
- Hereby
- Herein
- Hereof
- Hereupon
- Herself
- Highball
- Highchair
- Highland
- Highlight
- Highway
- Himself
- Homemade
- Homesick
- Hometown
- Honeybee
- Honeycomb
- Honeydew
- Honeymoon
- Honeysuckle
- Hookup
- Hookworm
- Horseback
- Horsefly
- Horsehair
- Horseplay
- Horsepower
- Horseradish
- Horseshoe
- Houseboat
- Housecoat
- Household
- Housekeeper
- Housetop
- Housewife
- Housework
- However
- Ideal
- Inchworm
- Income
- Indoors
- Inflow
- Infold
- Infuse
- Infusion
- Inhale
- Inkblot
- Inkwell
- Inland
- Inmate
- Inpatient
- Inroad
- Inset
- Inside
- Intake
- Ironwork
- Itself
- Jackpot
- Jackson
- Jailbait
- Jailbird
- Jawbone
- Jawbreaker
- Jaywalk
- Jellybean
- Jellyfish
- Jerkwater
- Jerrybuild
- Jetliner
- Jetport
- Jigsaw
- Jimsonweed
- Jitterbug
- Jobholder
- Johnnycake
- Jumpshot
- Keepsake
- Keyboard
- Keyhole
- Keynote
- Keypad
- Keypunch
- Keystone
- Keystroke
- Keyway
- Keyword
- Landmark
- Landslide
- Landward
- Lapland
- Lapwing
- Larkspur
- Laughingstock
- Lawgiver
- Lawmaker
- Lawsuit
- Layman
- Layoff
- Layout
- Layover
- Leapfrog
- Lifeblood
- Lifeboat
- Lifeguard
- Lifelike
- Lifeline
- Lifelong
- Lifesaver
- Lifetime
- Lifework
- Lighthouse
- Limelight
- Limestone
- Lipstick
- Longhand
- Longhorn
- Longhouse
- Lukewarm
- Mailbox
- Mainland
- Mainline
- Mainspring
- Mainstream
- Makeup
- Matchbox
- Meadowland
- Meantime
- Meanwhile
- Moonbeam
- Moonlight
- Moonlit
- Moonscape
- Moonshine
- Moonstone
- Moonstruck
- Moonwalk
- Moreover
- Mothball
- Motherhood
- Motorcycle
- Nearby
- Necktie
- Nevermore
- Newborn
- Newfound
- Newsboy
- Newsbreak
- Newscast
- Newscaster
- Newsdealer
- Newsletter
- Newsman
- Newsmen
- Newspaper
- Newsperson
- Newsprint
- Newsreel
- Newsroom
- Newsstand
- Newsworthy
- Nightfall
- Nobody
- Noisemaker
- Northeast
- Northwest
- Notebook
- Notepad
- Noteworthy
- Nowhere
- Nursemaid
- Nutcracker
- Oneself
- Onetime
- Overabundance
- Overboard
- Overcoat
- Overflow
- Overland
- Overpass
- Overshoes
- Pacemaker
- Pancake
- Parkway
- Passbook
- Passkey
- Passover
- Passport
- Password
- Pasteboard
- Patchwork
- Pathfinder
- Pathway
- Pawnbroker
- Pawnshop
- Paycheck
- Payload
- Paymaster
- Payoff
- Payroll
- Peppermint
- Pickup
- Pineapple
- Pinhole
- Pinpoint
- Pinstripe
- Pinup
- Pinwheel
- Playback
- Playboy
- Playground
- Playhouse
- Playmate
- Playthings
- Ponytail
- Popcorn
- Postcard
- Pothole
- Proofread
- Racquetball
- Railroad
- Railway
- Rainbow
- Raincheck
- Raincoat
- Raindrop
- Rainfall
- Rainmaker
- Rainstorm
- Rainwater
- Ratline
- Ratsbane
- Rattlesnake
- Rattletrap
- Rawboned
- Rawhide
- Readywitted
- Rearmost
- Rearrange
- Rearward
- Redcap
- Redcoat
- Reddish
- Redhead
- Repairman
- Riverbank
- Riverbanks
- Rubberband
- Sailboat
- Salesclerk
- Sandbox
- Sandlot
- Sandstone
- Sandwich
- Saucepan
- Scapegoat
- Scarecrow
- Schoolbook
- Schoolboy
- Schoolbus
- Schoolhouse
- Schoolmate
- Schoolroom
- Schoolwork
- Seashore
- Setback
- Setoff
- Shadyside
- Sharecropper
- Sharpshooter
- Sheepskin
- Shipbottom
- Shipbuilder
- Shipload
- Shipwreck
- Shipyard
- Shoelace
- Shoemaker
- Shopkeeper
- Shortbread
- Shortcake
- Shotgun
- Showboat
- Showoff
- Showplace
- Showroom
- Sideburns
- Sidecar
- Sidekick
- Sideshow
- Sidewalk
- Silversmith
- Sisterhood
- Sixfold
- Skateboard
- Skintight
- Skylark
- Skylight
- Skyscraper
- Slapstick
- Slowdown
- Slumlord
- Snakeskin
- Snowball
- Snowbank
- Snowbird
- Snowdrift
- Snowshoe
- Snowshovel
- Snowstorm
- Soapstone
- Softball
- Software
- Somebody
- Someday
- Somehow
- Someone
- Someplace
- Something
- Sometime
- Sometimes
- Someway
- Somewhat
- Somewhere
- Soundproof
- Southeast
- Southwest
- Soybean
- Spacesuit
- Spacewalk
- Spearmint
- Speedboat
- Spillway
- Spokesperson
- Springtime
- Stagehand
- Standby
- Standoff
- Standout
- Standpipe
- Standpoint
- Standstill
- Starfish
- Steamboat
- Steamship
- Stepson
- Stickup
- Stockroom
- Stonewall
- Stoplight
- Stopwatch
- Storerooms
- Strawberry
- Streetcar
- Stronghold
- Subway
- Sunbaked
- Sunbathe
- Sunday
- Sundial
- Sundown
- Sunfish
- Sunflower
- Sunglasses
- Sunlit
- Sunray
- Sunrise
- Sunroof
- Sunshine
- Suntan
- Sunup
- Supercargo
- Supercharge
- Supercool
- Superego
- Superfine
- Supergiant
- Superhero
- Superhighways
- Superhuman
- Superimpose
- Superman
- Supermarket
- Supermen
- Supernatural
- Superpower
- Superscript
- Supersensitive
- Supersonic
- Superstar
- Superstrong
- Superstructure
- Supertanker
- Superweapon
- Superwoman
- Sweetheart
- Sweetmeat
- Tablecloth
- Tablespoon
- Tabletop
- Tableware
- Tadpole
- Tagalong
- Tailbone
- Tailcoat
- Tailgate
- Taillight
- Taillike
- Tailpiece
- Tailspin
- Takeoff
- Takeout
- Takeover
- Talebearer
- Taleteller
- Tapeworm
- Taproom
- Taproot
- Target
- Taskmaster
- Tattletale
- Taxicab
- Taxpayer
- Teacup
- Teammate
- Teamwork
- Teapot
- Teardrop
- Teaspoon
- Teenager
- Telltale
- Tenderfoot
- Tenderhearted
- Tenderloin
- Tenfold
- Textbook
- Themselves
- Therefore
- Throwaway
- Throwback
- Thunderbird
- Thunderbolt
- Thundershower
- Thunderstorm
- Timekeeper
- Timepieces
- Timesaving
- Timeshare
- Timetable
- Today
- Together
- Toolbox
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Toothpick
- Touchdown
- Township
- Turnabout
- Turnaround
- Turnbuckle
- Turncoat
- Turndown
- Turnkey
- Turnoff
- Turnover
- Turntable
- Typewriter
- Underachieve
- Underact
- Underage
- Underarm
- Underbelly
- Underbid
- Undercharge
- Underclothes
- Undercover
- Undercurrent
- Undercut
- Underdevelop
- Underdog
- Underesimate
- Underestimate
- Underexpose
- Underfeed
- Underfinance
- Underfoot
- Underfur
- Undergarment
- Undergird
- Undergo
- Undergraduate
- Underground
- Undergrowth
- Underhand
- Underhanded
- Underlayer
- Underlie
- Upbeat
- Upbringing
- Upcoming
- Update
- Updraft
- Upend
- Upgrade
- Upheaval
- Upheld
- Uphill
- Uphold
- Upkeep
- Upland
- Uplift
- Uplink
- Upload
- Upmarket
- Upon
- Uppercase
- Upperclassman
- Uppercut
- Uppermost
- Upright
- Uprising
- Upriver
- Uproar
- Uproot
- Upset
- Upshot
- Upside
- Upstage
- Upstairs
- Upstanding
- Upstart
- Upstate
- Upstream
- Upsurge
- Upswing
- Uptake
- Upthrust
- Uptight
- Uptime
- Uptown
- Upturn
- Upward
- Upwind
- Waistband
- Waistcoat
- Waistline
- Walkout
- Walkways
- Wallboard
- Walleyed
- Wallflower
- Wallpaper
- Wanderlust
- Wardroom
- Warehouse
- Warfare
- Warhead
- Warlike
- Warlord
- Warmblooded
- Warmhearted
- Warmonger
- Warpath
- Warplanes
- Warship
- Wartime
- Washboard
- Washbowl
- Washcloth
- Washout
- Washroom
- Washstand
- Washtub
- Wastebasket
- Wasteland
- Wastepaper
- Wastewater
- Watchband
- Watchcase
- Watchdog
- Watchmaker
- Watchman
- Watchtower
- Watchword
- Watercolor
- Watercooler
- Watercraft
- Waterfall
- Waterfowl
- Waterfront
- Waterline
- Waterlog
- Watermark
- Watermelon
- Waterpower
- Waterproof
- Waterscape
- Watershead
- Waterside
- Waterspout
- Watertight
- Waterway
- Waterwheel
- Waterworks
- Wavelength
- Wavelike
- Waxwork
- Waybill
- Wayfarer
- Waylaid
- Wayside
- Wayward
- Weathercock
- Weatherman
- Weatherproof
- Weekday
- Weekend
- Weeknight
- Whatever
- Whatsoever
- Wheelbarrow
- Wheelbase
- Wheelchair
- Wheelhouse
- Whitecap
- Whitefish
- Whitewall
- Whitewash
- Widespread
- Wipeout
- Without
- Woodshop
- Workplace
- Worldwide
- Wrongdoing
Compound Words | Images
Compounds or compound words are words that are derived from two separate words joined together. Most compound words are nouns, composed of an adjective and a noun or two nouns. There are three different types of compound words in the English language: closed compound words, hyphenated compound words and open compound words.
An open compound word is a noun that is composed of two words that are often used together, yet still maintain a space between the two words. This type of compound is also referred to as a spaced compound word. It might be difficult to identify such a term as a compound word. To qualify as an open compound word, the term must have a different meaning from the definitions of each of the original words. For instance, the open compound word swimming pool is composed of the word swimming, which means moving one’s body through water, and pool, which means a body of still water. However, when used together in the word swimming pool, the definition is a manmade body of water, filtered and cleaned, that a person may play, float or swim in. Open compound words are often the most recently coined compound words.
A hyphenated compound word is a compound that is composed of two or more words linked by hyphens. Hyphenated compound words are the most likely type of compound word to be composed of two adjectives or two verbs. Hyphenated compound words are often coined by writers, as J.K. Rowling did when she created the phrase He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to describe Lord Voldemort. In general, hyphenated compound words are midway on the journey between being rendered as separate words to being rendered as one word.
A closed compound word is a word that is made up of two words joined together without hyphens or spaces. This type of compound is also called a solid compound word. With the advent of the internet and a more relaxed attitude toward spelling, many compound words have quickly gone from hyphenated compound words to closed compound words. An excellent example of this is the word email. When the phenomenon of email first became available to the general public, the prevalent term was electronic mail. Eventually, this term was shortened to E-mail, with a capital E standing in for the word electronic. Not long after, the capital E evolved to the lowercase, as in e-mail. This spelling is still acceptable according to the Oxford English Dictionary, though it is a secondary spelling. Today, the most accepted form of the word email is the closed compound.
Compound words are usually coined to explain a new phenomenon, idea or invention. The more often a term is used, the faster its journey from two separate words to hyphenation, and finally, one word.
Words in transition
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
A
-
All Ready vs. Already – Meaning, Definition & Spelling
-
All right vs. alright
-
All together vs. altogether
-
Awhile vs. A While – Difference, Examples & Worksheet
B
-
Backyard, back yard, back-yard
-
Back seat vs. backseat
-
Back up vs. backup
-
Bailout, bail out, and bail-out
-
Beeline
-
Blowout vs. blow out
-
Blowup vs. blow up
-
Build up vs. buildup
-
Burnout vs. burn out
-
Bus stop vs. busstop
C
-
Check in vs. Check-in (vs. Checkin)
-
Check up vs. checkup
-
Childcare, child care, child-care
-
Cleanup vs. clean up
D
-
Drop off vs. drop-off (vs. dropoff)
E
-
Everyday vs. Every Day – What’s the Difference?
F
-
Follow up vs. Follow-up vs. Followup – Which is Correct?
-
Freshwater vs. fresh water
H
-
Hands on or hands-on
-
Healthcare vs. Health Care – Which One is It?
-
Home school vs. homeschool (vs. home-school)
-
Hunter-gatherer
K
-
Knee-jerk, kneejerk
L
-
Lay Out vs. Layout – Usage & Difference
-
Leftover vs. left over
-
Log In vs. Login
-
Look out vs. lookout (vs. look-out)
N
-
No One, Noone or No-one – Difference & Examples
O
-
Offhand
-
Onboard vs. on board
-
Oneself vs. One’s Self – Definitions and Usage
-
One-time vs. onetime
-
Overnight vs. over night
P
-
Payback vs. pay back
-
Photo shoot vs. photoshoot
-
Pickup vs. Pick Up (vs. Pick-up)
-
Pullout, pull-out, pull out
R
-
Real-time vs. Real Time
-
Right-of-way
-
Rollout vs. roll out
-
Rollover vs. roll over
-
Runaway vs. run away
S
-
Saltwater vs. salt water
-
Set Up vs. Setup vs. Set-up
-
Someday vs. some day
-
Some Time vs Sometime vs Sometimes – What’s the Difference?
-
Standby vs. stand by
T
-
Take over vs. takeover
-
Timeout vs. time out
U
-
Underwater vs. Under Water
-
Underway vs. under way
-
Upfront vs. up front
W
-
Website vs. web page
-
Well-being vs. Wellbeing vs. Well Being
-
Workout vs. work out
-
Write-off vs. write off