What is a single word compound noun

Compound nouns are used to identify a class of people, places, things or a particular name. It is an important topic for all students, especially for those who are preparing for competitive examinations. One or more questions from this topic are asked in every competitive examination.

What is a Compound Noun? 

A compound noun is a type of noun that is formed by combining two or more words to create a new noun. There are three types of compound nouns, including Open or spaced compound nouns, hyphenated compound nouns, and closed or solid compound nouns.

Definition of Compound Noun : 

“Compound Noun is a noun that is made with two or more words together.” 

We can also say – “Compound Nouns are made by joining more than one word together.” 

Types of Compound Nouns –

There are three main types of Compound Nouns. 

1. Closed or Solid Compound Nouns

2. Spaced or Open Compound Nouns

3. Hyphenated Compound Nouns

Closed or Solid Compound Nouns : 

Closed or Solid Compound Noun is made up by joining two words without any spaces or hyphens. 

Examples: Sunflower, Football, Bathroom, Rainfall etc.

Spaced or Open Compound Nouns : 

It is made up of joining two words with a space. 

Examples : Cricket bat, Fast food, Ice cream, Rain forest etc. 

Hyphenated Compound Nouns : 

Hyphenated Compound Noun is made up by joining two or more words by a hyphen. 

Examples : Mother-in-law, Self – esteem, Father-in-law etc. 

Compound Nouns Examples 

Washing machine, Greenhouse, Dining – table, Bus stop, Swimming pool, Sunrise, Sunset, Blackboard, Whiteboard, Mother – in – law, Output, Check – out, Check-in, Haircut, Hotspot, Smartphone, Hardware, Long lasting, Underline, Underground, Shutdown, Input, Overthrow. 

Forming Compound Nouns with all Parts of Speech  

Compound Nouns can be formed by combining different parts of speech. Here we form compound Nouns with the help of all parts of speech. 

Noun + Noun 

Noun	Noun	Compound Noun
Bus	Stop	Bus stop
Foot	Ball	Football
Air	Port	Airport
Basket	Ball	Basketball
Railway	Station	Railway station

Noun + Verb 

Noun	Verb	Compound Noun
Sun	Rise	Sunrise
Sun	Set	Sunset
Foot	Print	Footprint
Snow	Fall	Snowfall
Rain	Fall	Rainfall

Noun + Preposition

Noun	Preposition	Compound Noun
Mother	in – law	Mother – in – law
Son	in – law	Son – in – law
Brother	in – law	Brother – in – law

Preposition + Verb 

Preposition	Verb	Compound Noun
In	Put	Input
Out	Put	Output
In	Take	Intake
Over	Throw	Overthrow

Verb + Preposition

Verb	Preposition	Compound Noun
Check	In	Check-in
Check	Out	Check – out
Break	Down	Breakdown
Build	Up	Build up
Shut	Down	Shutdown

Preposition + Noun 

Preposition	Noun	Compound Noun
Under	Line	Underline
Under	Ground	Underground
Off	Shore	Offshore
Up	Stairs	Upstairs
Over	Night	Overnight

Adjective + Noun 

Adjective	Noun	Compound Noun
Black	Board	Blackboard
White	Board	Whiteboard
Hard	Ware	Hardware
Hot	Spot	Hotspot
Soft	Ware	Software

Adjective + Verb 

Adjective	Verb	Compound Noun
Long	Lasting	Long-lasting
Ever	Lasting	Everlasting
High	Light	Highlight
Long	Awaited	Long awaited

List of Compound Nouns

Washing machine, Greenhouse, Dining – table, Bus stop, Swimming pool, Sunrise, Sunset, Blackboard, Whiteboard, Mother – in – law, Output, Check – out , Check – in , Haircut , Hotspot, Smartphone , Hardware, Long lasting, Underline, Underground, Shutdown, Input, Overthrow. 

Rules for Compound Noun

1. When the compound noun is singular or a single word, make it plural by adding s to the end.

Examples : 

Underline – underlines 

Hotspot – hotspots

2. When the compound noun is hyphenated or separated, make it plural by adding s to the word that is plural. 

Example : 

Mother-in-law = Two mothers-in-law 

Difference between Compound Nouns and Collective Noun

A collective noun is a single word which refers to a group or a team and that can be singular or plural. 

Examples : 

flock = A group of birds 

Troop = A group of army 

Team = A group of player 

A compound noun is made up of more than one word. 

Examples : 

Blackboard = black + board 

Ice cream = Ice + cream 

Overnight = over + night 

Practice Questions/Quiz 

Read the sentences carefully and identify the compound nouns given below.

1. Write something on the blackboard.

2. My teacher had a heart attack.

3. They swim in the swimming pool. 

4. Rahul’s father-in-law went to America last month. 

5. My friend booked a dining – table for his colleagues in a restaurant. 

6. In 2022, Argentina won the FIFA football match. 

7. Do not drive without a driving licence.

8. Please underline the word. 

9. Due to inflation, many  Chinese companies shut down their company. 

10. She is my mother-in-law. 

Answer 

1. blackboard

2. heart attack

3. swimming pool

4. father – in – law

5. dining – table

6. football

7. driving licence.

8. underline

9. shutdown

10. mother-in-law. 

FAQ’s on Compound Noun

Que1. What is a Compound Nouns? 

Ans. A compound Noun is a noun that is made with two or more words together.

Compound Nouns are made by joining more than one word together. 

Que2. What are 10 examples of Compound Nouns? 

Ans. 1. blackboard

2. heart attack

3. swimming pool

4. father – in – law

5. dining – table

6. football

7. driving licence.

8. underline

9. shutdown

10. mother-in-law.

Que3. What are 3 Compound Nouns? 

Ans. Blackboard, Hotspot, Input.
 

What are compound nouns? Here, we’ll take an up-close look at compound nouns so you can recognize them when you see them, plus we’ll provide you with some compound noun examples that will help you use them effectively.

Compound nouns are words for people, animals, places, things, or ideas, made up of two or more words. Most compound nouns are made with nouns that have been modified by adjectives or other nouns.

In many compound nouns, the first word describes or modifies the second word, giving us insight into what kind of thing an item is, or providing us with clues about the item’s purpose. The second word usually identifies the item.

Compound nouns are sometimes one word, like toothpaste, haircut, or bedroom. These are often referred to as closed or solid compound nouns.

Sometimes compound nouns are connected with a hyphen: dry-cleaning, daughter-in-law, and well-being are some examples of hyphenated compound nouns.

Sometimes compound nouns appear as two separate words: full moon, Christmas tree, and swimming pool are some examples of compound nouns that are formed with two separate words. These are often referred to as open or spaced compound nouns.

Compound Noun Examples

The more you read and write, the more compound noun examples you’ll encounter. The following sentences are just a few examples of compound nouns. Compound noun examples have been italicized for easy identification.

Compound nouns can be made with two nouns:

Let’s just wait at this bus stop.

I love watching fireflies on warm summer nights.

While you’re at the store, please pick up some toothpaste, a six-pack of ginger ale, and some egg rolls.

Compound nouns can be made with an adjective and a noun:

Let’s watch the full moon come up over the mountain.

Please erase the blackboard for me.

Compound nouns can be made with a verb and a noun:

Be sure to add bleach to the washing machine.

Let’s be sure to stay somewhere with a swimming pool.

Compound nouns can be made with a noun and a verb:

He always gets up before sunrise.

I really could use an updated hairstyle.

Compound nouns can be made with a verb and a preposition:

Checkout is at noon.

Please remember to schedule your dog’s annual check-up.

Compound nouns can be made with a noun and a prepositional phrase:

My mother-in-law is the kindest person I know.

Compound nouns can be made with a preposition and a noun:

Do you believe in past lives?

This city is vibrant, so it’s hard to believe it has a thriving criminal underworld.

Compound nouns can be made with a noun and an adjective:

We need a truckful of mulch for the garden.

Compound Nouns Exercises

Choose the word that makes each of these nouns into a compound noun.

1. Fund __________ (A – driver, B – seat, C – raiser)
2. News __________ (A– paper, B – story, C – travels)
3. Sun ____________ (A– day, B – glasses, C – heat)
4. Child ___________ (A – hood, B – ren, C – play)
5. Door ___________ (A– frame, B – handle, C – way)

Answer Key: 1 – C, 2 – A, 3 – B, 4 – A, 5 – C

Fill in the blanks to complete each compound noun, or with the one-word compound noun that fits best.

6. Prevent a heart _________ by eating properly and getting enough exercise. (A – stroke, B –attack, C – murmur)
7. Do you prefer peppermint or cinnamon flavored _____________? (A– cookies, B – toothpaste, C – applesauce)
8. The full ___________ looked enormous as it rose over the horizon. (A – moon, B – sun, C –sunset)
9. I’m going to the barber for a _____________. (A – trim, B – new style, C – haircut)
10. They’re digging a new swimming ____________ in the park. (A – suit, B – pool, C – game)
11. I’d love to learn to pilot an ____________(A–boat, B – airplane, C – submarine)
12. One reason donuts are fattening is that they’re fried in cooking _____. (A – oil, B – sugar, C –pans)
13. Sherrie is upset because she lost an ______________. (A – input, B – earring, C – friendship)
14. We put a ____________ in the garden to chase birds away.(A – runway, B – sunshade, C –scarecrow)
15. 15.I’ve got to pick up a package at the post ___________. (A – man, B – office, C – book)

Answer Key: 6 – B, 7 – B, 8 – A, 9 – C, 10 – B, 11 – B, 12 – A, 13 – B, 14 – C, 15 – B

Compound nouns are formed by two words that act as a single unit (a noun). They can be written as a single word, joined by a hyphen, or as two separate words. Some compound nouns can be written in more than one way, and no clear rule exists on how compound nouns are written.

Some examples include:

Compound nouns are written as a single word:

• Horseshoe
• Highway
• Bloodhound
• Paperback
• Pullover

Compound nouns joined by a hyphen:

• Well-being
• Fire-Engine
• Gun-carriage
• Rib-eye
• Six-wheeler

Compound nouns written as two separate words:

• Small
  talk
• Concealed
  carry
• City
  centre
• Hound dog
• Cleaning
  lady

Lesson #42: Compound nouns

Compound nouns are nouns formed together with two or more words, thereby making the noun a compound noun (two parts). Compound nouns can either be written as a single word (highway, pullover, horseshoe), with a hyphen (-) (well-being, fire-engine, rib-eye, six-wheeler), or written as two (or more) separate words (small talk, city centre, hound dog).

Context

• What’s your opinion on the public transportation¹ system in London?
• Well, the underground² system works fantastically well, as do³ most cities in Europe, although, the system is very expensive. My girlfriend,⁴ who has to catch the subway every day⁵, has to pay over one hundred⁶ pounds per month, which I think is a tad⁷ too pricey.
• Maybe you ought to get⁸ your driver license⁹ then, eh?
• No way! Driving a car in London is even more expensive.
• What about getting a motorcycle?¹⁰
• Well, motorcycles are fairly¹¹ dangerous you know. I was on the lookout¹² for a cheap scooter though. I don’t think a scooter or moped would be too expensive to maintain.
• The passers-by¹³ always have it the best. That’s why you need to just walk to work.
• Are you kidding me!?
• Who on earth¹⁴ in London gets to walk¹⁵ to work!
• I was just joking.

Analysis

1. Public transportation: is a very common compound noun. It doesn’t need a hyphen (-). Generally, when a compound noun has a hyphen, it is because the compound noun itself is very new or just being introduced into society for the first time. When the compound noun becomes more well-known it’s common to get rid of the hyphen. 
2. Underground: a compound noun that refers to the metro system underground. In American English, subway is more commonly used.
3. As do: the plural do is used because cities is plural.
4. Girlfriend: a compound noun, as is a boyfriend.
5. Every day: careful not confuse everyday with every day. The former is the adjective, i.e., I like your everyday clothes (everyday is an adjective and it is modifying the noun, clothes). And the latter being two separate words, every, the adjective, modifies the noun, day. I.e., I go to school every day.
6. One hundred: is a compound noun. Numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine always require a hyphen/dash (-).
7. Tad: a noun meaning, a small amount.
8. To get your driver license: ‘get + noun’ = ‘obtain’ or ‘receive’. The noun being, driver license. To get your driver license would be the same as saying, to receive/obtain your driver license.
9. Driver license: a compound noun.
10. Motorcycle: compound noun. You can see that it’s a compound noun due to the formation of two separate words, motor and cycle.
11. Fairly: is a very common adverb that English speakers use to express the degree to which something happens. Rather, quite, and little are also very common, but with higher or lower levels of degree.
12. Lookout: a compound noun that refers to a place where one can see the panorama.
13. Passer-by: is a compound noun in the singular. The plural form is as above, passers-by. This compound noun just refers to pedestrians or people walking on the street.
14. What/who/where/how etc, on earth: is a popular expression to express shock, surprise, or anger.
15. Gets to walk: ‘get + to + infinitive’ literally means, ‘to have the opportunity’. I.e., They get to travel to South America every year. I get to learn English with English Reservoir.

See also:

Nouns:

• Countable and uncountable nouns
• Proper and common nouns
• Concrete and abstract nouns
• Collective nouns

Advanced grammar:

• Articles (a/an, the, zero article)
• Pronouns: subject, object and possessive
• Question tags
• English conditionals
• Interrogatives in English
• Determiners
• Phrasal verbs
• Prefixes and suffixes
• Reported and direct speech
• Numbers: cardinal, ordinal, and Roman numbers
• The verb: “get”
• ‘Get’ vs. ‘go’ and ‘got’ vs. ‘gotten’
• Copular verbs
• Cleft sentences
• Subjunctive in English
• Vulgar and taboo in English
• Ellipsis
• Split infinitive
• Emphasis with inversion
• Gerunds in English
• To + infinitive
• Bare infinitive
• British and American spelling

Nouns can be classified into various types. While noun as a single concept is very simple, its classifications require a little more attention.

Common nouns, concrete nouns, compounds nouns, etc., are all different types of nouns. Today we will discuss compound nouns. Compound nouns can be a little tricky if some rules are not followed.

Compound nouns are basically the combination of two words. It is an easy concept, but some points need to be kept in mind.

What is a compound noun?

A compound noun is a noun formed by joining two or more words together. It is a combination of words that refers to a person, thing, or place.

In a compound noun, the first word basically describes the second word. It describes the purpose or type of the second word and the second word is usually the identification of the first word. It tries to tell what or who is the first word.

Let us understand with some examples;

• Lighthouse
• Firehouse
• Honeybee

Here, we can see that the first word is the description or modification of the second word and the second word basically tells what is being named.

Different types of a compound noun

Compound nouns are two words joined together. However, they can be formed in usually three different ways.

Let us understand with basic examples;

First is a closed-form compound noun. Here, the compound nouns are joined together normally.

• I am visiting the lighthouse today.
• There is a housefly in the car.

Some compound nouns can be a word in a hyphenated form. They are presented with hyphens.

• My mother-in-law is at home.

And the third form is where the words are presented as two individual words, but they are a single entity.

• I think he is visiting the post office today.

Formation of compound nouns

There are several ways of forming a compound noun. Any part of speech can act as a term to make a compound noun. Let us discuss them in detail;

A compound noun can be formed by joining two nouns together.

For example;

• wallpaper
• birdcage
• honeymoon
• lighthouse

A noun and an adjective

For example;

• Wireless
• handful
• headless

An adjective and a noun

For example;

• pink panther
• redhead
• full moon

A preposition and a noun

For example;

• past lives
• afterlife
• underworld

A noun and a preposition or a prepositional phrase

For example;

• passer-by
• Father-in-law

A verb and a noun

For example;

• washing machine
• swimming pool
• dressing room
• waiting room

A noun and a verb

For example;

• photoshoot
• sunrise
• haircut
• hairstyle

An adjective and an adjective

For example;

• pinkish-yellow
• reddish-brown

These are the major ways of forming a compound noun. However, there can be more, such as preposition+verb, Verb+preposition, etc. As mentioned earlier, it can be any part of speech.

So we see compound nouns can be wide. Compound nouns also depend on the context they are being used in.

They are not just any combination of words. One has to be careful while using a compound noun to avoid any errors.

A noun that is made up of two, three or more parts, is called a compound noun.

For example, classroom, washroom, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, drawing room, etc.

How to make compound nouns Examples

Single word compound nouns.

Many nouns are made up of two words clearly but they are no longer thought as compound nouns. Such nouns are called single word compound nouns.

For example,

Cupboard, raincoat, seaside, typewriter

Nouns formed with Adjective + Noun

Nouns made up of adjective and nouns are called adjective nouns.

For example,

Greenhouse, heavyweight, longhand, redhead

“A heavyweight” means a boxer while “a heavyweight” means a weight that is heavy.

Nouns formed with Gerund + Nouns

For example, drinking water, a frying pan, walking stick etc.

Nouns formed with Noun + Gerund

For example, horse riding, sightseeing, sunbathing.

Nouns form with adverb participle

These compound nouns are a combination of verbs and adverb participles. For example, breakdown, income, makeup.

Compound Noun in place of phrase with “of”

When we want to say that one (non-living) thing is a part of another, we can use “of”, for example, a car key (a key of the car), doorknob(a knob of door).

Compound noun referring to place

In such type of compound nouns, the first word refers to a place and second word to something that is in that place. For example, bank safe, kitchen sink etc.

Compound nouns referring to streets and road.

Compound nouns of streets or roads are not hyphenated. For example, 10 Downing Street, Heathrow Airport, Dubai Stadium.

Compound nouns telling purpose.

Examples are a can-opener, a meeting point, a sheep-dog.

Compound nouns telling material or substances.

Such as cotton plug, gold watch, and a gold ring.

Compound nouns classifying types.

In such kinds of compound nouns, the first words answer the question. For example, a factory worker, seat belt, taxi driver, bookseller.

Compound nouns referring to containers.

These compound nouns describe that the second item is designed to contain the first one. For example, coffee cup, sugar pot, teapot etc.

Compound nouns referring to time.

These nouns relate specifically to the time at which an activity takes place or to its duration. For example, Sunday dinner, morning walk, nightdress, morning tea etc.

Compound noun formed with “self”, “man”, “woman”, “person”.

Compound nouns with “self” have stress on the second part of the word. For example, “self control”, “self respect”, “self denial”.

Compound nouns with “man” have stress on the first word, for example, airman, cameraman, man-eater.

Some people replace man by “person” when the reference is to either sex. For example, Chairman —> Chairperson, Salesman —> Salesperson.

Sometimes certain nouns can be used in the possessive case without the second noun. For example, a/the baker’s/butcher’s/chemist

of + noun is used for possession.

When the possession nouns are followed by a phrase or clause. For example, the boys ran about, obeying the directions of a man with a whistle.

List of Compound Nouns

Anybody	Anyone
Anymore	Airport
Airport	Aircraft
Backbone	Background
Backdoor	Butterflies
Birthday	Backache
Baseball	Basketball
Bookshelf	Brainstorm
Billboard	Banknote
Bookstore	Backhand
Classroom	Classmate
Carload	Cargo
Carfare	Caretaker
Checkup	Countryside
Daytime	Deadline
Doorway	Dishwasher
Daybook	Daylight
Doorbell	Drumstick
Everybody	Everything
Elsewhere	Earbud
Earring	Earphone
Eardrum	Earache
Firearm	Firewood
Footnote	Footprint
Forego	Foreground
Grassland	Grasscutter
Grasshopper	Grandmother
Granduncle	Grandchildren
Ghostwriter	Guideline
Goodnight	Graveyard
Handwriting	Handmade
Handgun	Handbook
Homework	Highway
Inside	Itself
Intake	Ironwork
Jellyfish	Jackpot
Keyboard	Keypad
Keystone	Keystroke
Lifetime	Lifeline
Lifelong	Lifesaver
Lifeguard	Loophole
Meantime	Meanwhile
Moonlight	Moonwalk
Nightfall	Notebook
Playback	Rainstorm
Sometimes	Something
Somewhere	Somehow
Somebody	Southwest
Superscript	Subscript
Snowbird	Starfish
Tailcoat	Tenfold
Takeoff	Takeout
Uplift	Upstream

Further Reading:
Different Types of Nouns
Proper Noun
Common Noun
Uncountable (Mass) Noun
Collective Noun
Abstract Noun

Last night, I took my roommate to a drive-in to see the latest blockbuster. It was a fun night, but it was also an example of an event that can be described with nouns. Not just any nouns, though. We use many different types of nouns to refer to people we love, places we take them, and things we enjoy together, but my story uses a couple examples of one particular type of noun: the compound noun.

What is a compound noun?

In grammar, a compound refers to a word that is made up of two or more existing parts or elements. Adjectives, verbs, prepositions, and nouns can all be described as compounds.

As compounds, they are made of two or more existing words combined into one, such as housetop (noun), many-sided (adjective), playact (verb), or upon (preposition).

A compound noun, in simplified terms, is a noun made up of two or more existing words. They are extremely common in English. The word snowstorm is an example of a simple type of compound noun formed from the words snow and storm. Compound nouns aren’t just formed from nouns but other types of words as well, such as verbs, adjectives, and prepositions. You can see this in words like runoff, takedown, and shortcake.

One main thing to keep in mind about compound nouns is that they have a meaning that is distinct from their component parts. For example, a blackboard is an object that a teacher writes on with chalk while a “black board” is any black piece of wood.

How many nouns does it take to be a noun expert? Make sure you count countable nouns in! Learn more about countable nouns here.

Compound noun examples

In English, there are three main ways that we form compound nouns. As is often the case in English, there is no single rule that states which of these methods is correct when it comes to forming specific compound nouns. You will either need to memorize compound nouns as you come across them or use our fantastic dictionary to see which form (or forms) should be used.

Compound nouns as a single word

This type of compound noun is formed by combining two words (from different parts of speech) together into a single word. Here are examples of compound nouns formed from pairs of different types of words:

• Noun + noun: lunchtime, boyfriend, milkman, firefighter, hatrack, heartache
• Verb + noun: jailbreak, haircut, runtime, turntable, sweatshirt, buzzkill
• Adjective + noun: smartphone, bluebird, redhead, greenhouse
• Preposition + noun: downtown, bystander, underworld, overtime
• Verb + preposition: breakdown, offshoot, downturn, input, uproar

Compound nouns as separate words

This type of compound noun is formed by using two separate words together that are acting together, grammatically, as a single unit. This type of compound noun is different from a noun phrase because one word isn’t acting as a modifier of another. You need to be careful with this type of compound noun as they may look identical to an instance of two separate words that aren’t being used as a compound noun. For example, the compound noun hot dog refers to a food while the separate words “hot dog” refers to a hairy animal that is very warm (and a good boy).

• Noun + noun:  house party, grandfather clock, sweater vest, Christmas tree
• Verb + noun: flash flood, grab bag, jump cut, slam dunk, shock jock
• Adjective + noun: quick fix, easy money, slow burn, double agent, close call

Compound nouns with hyphens

This type of compound noun is often confused with the other two types. Using hyphens to form compound nouns is particularly common in newer or rarely used words. If a compound noun is formed from more than two words, it will almost always use hyphens.

• know-it-all, mother-in-law, show-off, court-martial, jack-in-the-box, jack-of-all-trades, Johnny-come-lately, city-state, hocus-pocus, merry-go-round

Plural forms of compound nouns

Until now, we have only looked at singular nouns. However, there are different rules about how to make compound nouns into plural nouns depending on which of the three types you are dealing with.

Plural of single-word compound nouns

Of the three, this type of compound noun is the most likely to follow the rules of plural nouns. You can take a look at our article on plural nouns if you need a refresher, but the usual method is to add -s or -es to the end of the compound noun. For example, chalkboard becomes chalkboards and eyelash becomes eyelashes.

Plural of multiple-word compound nouns

This type of compound noun gets more complicated. Sometimes, these words stick to the rules, and all you need to do is make the last word plural as in wedding planners or soft drinks. However, things can get more complicated. For example, the plural of attorney general is attorneys general. The reason is that the word attorney is acting as the main word and general is specifying what job the attorney has. In this case, it makes more sense to turn attorney into a plural when referring to more than one attorney general. Keep this in mind as we look at our last type of compound noun.

Plural of compound nouns with hyphens

Once again, things get complicated. Sometimes, hyphenated compound nouns follow the rules and get an -s or -es added onto the last word as in jack-in-the-boxes or fixer-uppers. Other times, though, hyphenated compound nouns don’t follow the pattern as in sisters-in-law or runners-up. As was the case in multiple-word compound nouns, these words turn the main word rather than the final word into a plural.

List of compound nouns

Let’s look at more examples of compound nouns. As you read each of these nouns, think about what words were used to form them and how the meanings of these nouns differ from the words used to make them.

• artwork, basketball, card shark, double dip, earmark, fast track, gold rush, half-and-half, icebreaker, junk mail, kangaroo court, ladybug, mother-of-pearl, night-light, odd-job, post office, queen bee, riverbank, small fry, think tank, upperclassmen, victory lap, whiz kid, yardstick, zookeeper

The difference between compound & collective nouns

Up until now, we have looked at many different examples of compound nouns. Compound nouns are formed by combining multiple words together to make a single noun. Another type of noun also brings several things together to form a single noun. A collective noun is a noun that collectively refers to multiple people or objects as a single entity. The words army, gang, pile, stack, group, and bunch are all examples of collective nouns. Unlike compound nouns, collective nouns don’t need to be formed from multiple words.

For the most part, both compound nouns and collective nouns follow the rules that all other nouns follow. Both can be singular nouns or plural nouns. Both can be concrete nouns or abstract nouns. Both can be possessive nouns.

Try another noun on for size, and see what you know about proper nouns.

Although rare, it is possible for a noun to be both a compound noun and a collective noun. For example, the word homeroom is a compound noun formed from the words home and room. At the same time, homeroom can be used as a collective noun to refer to a group of students.

Take a look at some example sentences. Read each sentence and see if you can understand what makes each given noun a compound noun, a collective noun, or both.

1. I can’t handle the heartbreak of losing a pet.
2. Our team won the championship.
3. Two of my friends are members of the glee club.
4. The goblin kingdom crumbled due to a civil war.
5. The cruel billionaire looked down on the lower class.

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Answer: 1. Compound 2. Collective 3. Both compound and collective noun 4. Compound 5. Both compound and collective noun

The basics of English grammar can seem simple, especially when we are looking at sentence structures. Three basic components of a sentence include:

• Nouns, which are things
• Verbs, which are actions
• Adjectives, which are descriptive words

But the better you get, the more complexities there are. For instance, did you know that there are such things as compound nouns? In today’s post, we will explain what they are and how to spot them in sentences.

The Definition of a Compound Noun (With Examples)

A compound noun is a noun (or thing) made of more than one word working together as a single unit to identify a person, place or thing. A compound noun might be made of different combinations, such as adjective + noun, noun + noun, and noun + verb. Let’s look at some of examples:

football field (noun + noun)

sunrise (noun + verb)

blackboard (adjective + noun)

full moon (adjective + noun)

Each of these represents a single noun with more than one word. Compare that with a noun phrase that includes a descriptor as opposed to components of a compound unit:

gray cat (gray describes the cat; it is not part of a full compound noun)

fresh flowers (fresh describes the flowers but is not part of a compound)

green field (green describes the field but is not part of a compound)

Another way to identify compound nouns is to look for proper names and hyphenated words. For example, the following are compound nouns:

London Tower

Lake Michigan

mother-in-law

self-image

Forms of Compound Nouns

Compound nouns can take a few different forms.

The first is an open compound, as we see above in pairings such as football field and full moon. The compound noun appears as two separate words.

A second form is a hyphenated compound. Both mother-in-law and self-image are examples of this type.

Lastly, you’ll see some compound nouns as closed compounds, or words that have been fused from two into one. Examples of closed compounds include sunrise and blackboard.

Once you know what you’re looking for, compound nouns should become even easier to recognize.

Pop Quiz

Let’s apply what you understand. Identify the compound nouns in the sentences below. Some sentences might have no compound nouns or more than one.

1. The barking dog kept me up all night.
2. My flight goes all the way over the Pacific Ocean.
3. Pine trees always smell wonderful.
4. It’s no use arguing with my father-in-law.
5. Let’s have our yard work done by sunset.

Pop Quiz Answers

1. The barking dog kept me up all night.
2. My flight goes all the way over the Pacific Ocean.
3. Pine trees always smell wonderful.
4. It’s no use arguing with my father-in-law.
5. Let’s have our yard work done by sunset.

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