What distinguishes compound nouns from phrases?

In contrast to noun phrases, which do not place emphasis on either word, compound nouns normally place emphasis on the first term ("HOT dog" — the meal).

Does these special nouns always contain two words.

The compound noun can be written as a single word, a word with a hyphen, or as two words, as you may have seen. There are no set guidelines for this.

What is a compound word?

A compound word is created by joining two or more words, hyphens included or not.

What is a closed type of noun?

a word combination with no spaces. Dishcloth, keyboard, pancake, and waterproof are a few examples.

Why is there a hyphen in some nouns of compound type?

Because it prevents the prepositions from being understood as separate grammatical entities, compound nouns containing prepositions are almost always hyphenated.

Is Breakfast a noun of compound type?

Breakfast is a composite word made up of the words "break" and "quick."

Is there such a thing as a composite noun?

No there is nothing called composite nouns. There are only compound type of nouns.

Compound Nouns- Definition, Type, List, Examples

Table of Contents

The Compound noun is a special type of noun that is formed when a noun or another part of speech like verb, preposition, etc., combines to form a noun. In this post, students will learn all the details regarding the compound nouns starting from its definition to examples.

Compound Nouns

A compound noun’s basic concept is straightforward at first glance. It’s a phrase made up of two or more distinct nouns combined. The use of compound nouns is a regular feature of English speech and writing. In fact, these nouns are so common in English that you might not even be aware that some of the terms you use on a daily basis are them. Just three examples include software, sunrise, and bag.

Compound Nouns Meaning

A noun that is created by combining more than one component of speech is known as a compound noun. There are three primary categories of these special nouns: closed or solid compound nouns, hyphenated compound nouns, and open or spaced compound nouns.

Compound Nouns Definition

A compound nouns is described as “a noun that is made up of two or more separate words, for example, “cake store,” “French fries,” “high-flyer,” or “schoolteacher,” according to the Cambridge Dictionary.”

The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary offers a similar definition. ‘A noun, an adjective, or a verb made of two or more words or parts of words, written as one or more words, or joined by a hyphen,’ is how it defines this noun. Travel agent, dark-haired and bathroom are all examples of this special noun.’

Compound Noun Types

There are 3 types of these special nouns in English Grammar. Check their definition and examples below.

Spaced or Open Compound Noun

A type of noun that has a space between its two constituent components is called an open or spaced compound noun.

Examples: Fast food, Cricket bat, flower store

Hyphenated Compound Nouns

A type of noun that has two words separated by a hyphen is called a hyphenated compound noun.

Example: Mother-in-law, By-product, Passer-by

Closed or solid compound Nouns

When there are no hyphens or spaces between the two words in a compound noun, it is said to be closed or solid. Typically, they are regarded as a single word.

Example: Sunflower, Rainfall, Classroom

Compound Noun Formations

The compound nouns are formed by joining the Noun with the following combinations.

noun	+	noun	basketball, bookstore
noun	+	verb	snowfall, haircut
noun	+	adjective	lime green, town square
noun	+	prepositional phrase	son-in-law, lady-in-waiting
verb	+	noun	surfboard, swimsuit
preposition	+	noun	onlooker, underworld
verb	+	preposition	lookout, go-between
adjective	+	noun	black box, hot dog

Compound Nouns List

The list of important compound nouns are given below that are frequently used.

afterbirth	dishwasher	heartbeat	saltwater
aftermath	doorbell	highway	saucepan
aircraft	downfall	homework	sawdust
airfield	downpour	honeymoon	screenplay
airmail	drawback	horsepower	screwdriver
armchair	dressmaker	housework	seashell
armpit	driveway	jellyfish	seaweed
background	drugstore	jigsaw	shellfish
backlash	drumstick	keyboard	shoplifter
backlog	eardrum	kneecap	shorthand
backside	earphone	ladybug	shotgun
bandwagon	earring	leftovers	sickbed
bankbook	earthworm	letterhead	sideburns
banknote	earwig	lighthouse	sidekick
barman	egghead	lipstick	sidewalk
baseball	eyelid	loophole	silkworm
bathroom	eyewitness	lovebird	skullcap
bedspread	farmhouse	mailbox	skyscraper
bedtime	fatherhood	manhunt	slaughterhouse
billboard	feedback	mastermind	sleepwalking
blackbird	fingernail	middleman	snowball
blacklist	fingerprint	neighborhood	snowfall
bulldog	firearm	network	softball
bullfight	firefly	newsletter	songbird
catfish	firewood	newspaper	soundtrack
chairman	fishbowl	nightclub	spaceship
cheapskate	floodlight	nightmare	sportsman
checkup	footnote	notebook	spotlight
chopstick	footprint	outlook	stalemate
clockwork	freeway	overcoat	stepchild
clotheshorse	foretaste	overseas	stopwatch
clothesline	fruitcake	overtime	strongbox
copycat	gatecrasher	painkiller	suitcase
copyright	ghostwriter	pancake	summertime
cornerstone	godfather	paperback	sunspot
countdown	goldfish	passport	sweetheart
countryside	greenhouse	password	swordfish
courthouse	guidebook	penknife	tablespoon
courtyard	guideline	pickpocket	teardrop
cowboy	gunfire	pigtail	teaspoon
crackdown	gunpowder	pocketknife	toadstool
crossroad	hairdresser	quicksand	toothpick
cutback	handbag	racehorse	tugboat
daybreak	handshake	rainbow	watchdog
daytime	handwriting	rattlesnake	wheelchair
deadline	headlight	roadrunner	windpipe
deadlock	headquarters	runway	wiretap

Different Types of Compound Nouns Based on Formations

The formation of the noun of compound type can take place by joining a noun with another noun, adjective, verb, preposition, etc. We have provided some formation types along with their examples below.

Noun + Noun

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

Noun + Verb

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

Preposition + Noun

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

Adjective + Noun

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

Noun + Gerund

Noun Example	Noun	Gerund
Birdwatching	Bird	Watching
Handwriting	Hand	Writing
Sightseeing	Sight	Seeing
Bookkeeping	Book	Keeping
Ballet dancing	Ballet	Dancing
Time consuming	Time	Consuming
River rafting	River	Rafting
Mountain climbing	Mountain	Climbing
Cat walking	Cat	Walking

Compound Noun Examples and Exercises

Compound nouns can be created in a few distinct ways. Sometimes, two words are just squashed together. Examples of these so-called closed nouns are given below:

playground
windshield
Keyboard

A hyphen connects other nouns together in a tidy manner. These are called hyphenated compound nouns, and examples include:

father-in-law
X-ray
Merry-go-round

Then there are special category of nouns with no connections at all. These are referred to as open compound nouns, and some examples are as follows:

trash can
garden gnome
peanut butter

We frequently experience uncertainty while constructing the possessive case of a composite noun. Where should the apostrophe be placed? The compound noun is always completed with an apostrophe (‘s’).

Stepson’s
Kickboxer’s
Father-in-law’s

The suffix -s is combined with the root word or base word to create plural compound nouns. The term in this noun known as the “root word” is the most important and provides these nouns with its meaning.

Stepdaughters
Airports
Maidservants

Compound Noun Examples in Sentences Key Points

These nouns are special category nouns made up of two or more words together.
Examples include haircuts, waiting lists, sister-in-laws, the underground, and windsurfing.
The general class to which the composite noun belongs is implied by one of the two words. Within that class, the other states its kind.
A noun, an adjective, a verb, or a preposition can be combined with another noun to form this unique type of noun.
These nouns can be made plural by adding the suffix -s to the base or root word. For instance, in-law sisters, swimming pools, cookbooks, etc.
These nouns are given the possessive case by inserting an apostrophe (‘s’) at the end. For instance, the Spider-Man, Policeman, or sister-in- law’s.