What is Compound Noun? 1000 Compound Nouns List, Definition and Examples
Table of Contents
Compound Nouns
Nouns made up of more than one word are called compound nouns. Let’s see some examples:
- Football
- Policeman
- Water tank
- Girlfriend
- Brother-in-law
Compound nouns are divided into three. Please see:
- Separately written compound nouns,
- Compound nouns as one word,
- And finally, compound nouns as hyphenated (-)
When compound nouns consist of two words being put into one word, sometimes they do not give the same meaning as the separate use of those two words. The best example of this would be “hotdog”. When we say “hotdog”, we think of those beautiful sausages we see around the corner when we are very hungry, and craving for them. However, when we use the words “hot” and “dog” separately, we think of a hot dog. Yes, that does not make any sense.
Compound nouns usually go like this:
- name + name = icecream, waistline, seafood, airport, aircraft…
- adjective + noun = hotdog, greenhouse, bestfriend, highway…
- and noun + verb = sunset, rainfall, firework, handmade, teardrop…
However, compound nouns are also formed in other ways, for example:
- noun + preposition = passer-by,
- gerund + noun = swimming pool, washing machine…
- adjective + verb = public speaking, dry cleaning…
- verb + preposition = takeoff, lookout, checkout…
- and preposition + verb = output, overthrow, input…
Plurals and Possessives
We know what we need to do to make a word plural or add a possessive suffix to that word. However, there may be things we do not know. In general, in most compound nouns, the “-s” comes at the end of the word, but there may be slight differences. Let’s examine:
If the compound nouns are formed by the combination of two words without a space between them, the “-s” comes to the end.
Likewise, if there is a space between words, we put these “-s” at the end. In examples:
- deadlines, fireworks, toothpastes, greenhouses…
- washing machines, swimming pools…
If the compound word is separated by a hyphen (-) sign as we mentioned above, we usually put the “-s” at the end of the name. In examples:
- brothers-in-law
- mothers-in-law
You can make the possessive by adding the word “s” with an apostrophe (‘) to the word. Like that: (‘s)
Examples of Compound Nouns
- Redhead (adjective + noun)
- Software (adj + noun)
- Backbone (noun + noun)
- Backdoor (noun + noun)
- Birthday (noun + noun)
- Forego (noun + verb)
- Moonwalk (noun + verb)
- Somehow (noun + preposition)
You can make practise with these words:
- Takeout
- Tenfold
- Starfish
- Subscript
- Newspaper
- Online
- Seashore
- Starlight
- Horsefly
- Playback
- Nightfall
- Lifeguard
- Meantime
- Lifelong
- Keystone
- Brainstorm
- Banknote
- Backhand
- Classmate
- Billboard
- Carload
- Earring
- Firearm
- Guideline
- Jellyfish
- Drumstick
- Daylight
- Countryside
- Snowboard
- Sunrise
- Myself
- Nobody
- Online
- Pancake
- Photocopy
- Eyeball
- Fingerprint
1000 Compound Nouns List
aboveboard
afterbirth
afterburner
afterglow
afterimage
afterlife
aftermath
afternoon
airbrush
aircraft
aircraft
airfield
airfield
airlift
airline
airliner
airmail
airman
airmen
airplane
airport
airport
airship
airtime
allover
allspice
alongside
also
another
anybody
anyhow
anymore
anyone
anyplace
anything
anytime
anyway
anywhere
armchair
armpit
around
arrowhead
ashtray
authorship
babysitter
backache
backbite
backbite
backbone
backbreaker
backdrop
backdrop
backfield
backfire
backfire
background
background
backhand
backhand
backlash
backlash
backlog
backlog
backpack
backside
backside
backslap
backslide
backslide
backspace
backspin
backspin
backstage
backstop
backstretch
backstroke
backstroke
backtrack
backward
ballpark
ballroom
bankbook
bankroll
baseball
basketball
beachcomb
became
because
become
bedbug
bedclothes
bedrock
bedroll
bedroom
bellbottom
bellboy
bellhop
below
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
buttercup
butterfat
butterfingers
butterflies
buttermilk
butternut
butterscotch
bypass
cabdriver
cancan
candid
candlelight
candlestick
cannot
cardboard
cardsharp
carefree
caretaker
careworn
carfare
cargo
carhop
carload
carpetbagger
carpool
carport
carrack
carryall
carsick
cartwheel
carwash
cattail
caveman
centercut
cheeseburger
cheesecake
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
crosstown
crosswalk
crossword
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
everything
eyeballs
eyecatching
eyeglasses
eyelash
eyelid
eyesight
eyewitness
fatherland
fatherless
firearm
fireball
fireboat
firebomb
firebox
firebreak
firecracker
firefighter
fireflies
firehouse
fireproof
firewater
fireworks
fishbowl
fisherman
fisheye
fishhook
fishlike
fishmonger
fishnet
fishpond
fishtail
football
foothill
foothold
footlights
footlocker
footnote
footpath
footprints
footrest
forbearer
forbid
forearm
forebear
forecast
foreclose
foreclosure
forefather
forefinger
forefront
forehand
forehead
foreleg
foreman
forerunner
foresee
foresight
forestland
forever
forget
forgive
forklift
format
fortnight
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
hereafter
hereby
hereby
herein
herein
hereof
hereupon
herself
highball
highchair
highland
highway
himself
homemade
hometown
honeybee
honeycomb
honeydew
honeymoon
honeysuckle
hookup
hookworm
horseback
horsefly
horsehair
horseplay
horsepower
horseshoe
houseboat
housecoat
household
housekeeper
housetop
housewife
housework
however
ideal
inchworm
income
indoors
infold
infuse
infusion
inhale
inkblot
inkwell
inland
inmate
inpatient
inroad
inset
inside
intake
ironwork
itself
jackpot
jackpot
Jackson
jailbait
jailbird
jawbone
jawbreaker
jaywalk
jellybean
jellyfish
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
limelight
limestone
longhand
longhorn
longhouse
lukewarm
mainland
mainline
mainspring
mainstream
matchbox
meadowland
meantime
meanwhile
moonbeam
moonlight
moonscape
moonshine
moonstone
moonstruck
moonwalk
moreover
mothball
motherhood
motorcycle
nearby
nevermore
newfound
newsboy
newsbreak
newscast
newscaster
newsdealer
newsletter
newsman
newsmen
newspaper
newsprint
newsreel
newsroom
newsstand
newsworthy
nightfall
nobody
noisemaker
northeast
notebook
noteworthy
nowhere
nursemaid
nutcracker
oneself
onetime
overabundance
overboard
overcoat
overflow
overland
overshoes
pacemaker
pancake
parkway
passbook
passbook
passkey
Passover
Passover
passport
passport
password
pasteboard
patchwork
pathfinder
pathway
pawnbroker
pawnshop
paycheck
payload
paymaster
payoff
payroll
peppermint
pickup
pinhole
pinpoint
pinstripe
pinup
pinwheel
playback
playboy
playground
playhouse
playmate
playthings
ponytail
popcorn
postcard
racquetball
railroad
railway
rainbow
raincheck
raincoat
raindrop
rainfall
rainmaker
rainstorm
rainwater
ratline
ratsbane
rattlesnake
rattlesnake
rattletrap
rattletrap
rawboned
rawhide
readywitted
rearmost
rearrange
rearward
redcap
redcoat
reddish
redhead
repairman
riverbanks
rubberband
sailboat
salesclerk
sandbox
sandlot
sandstone
saucepan
scapegoat
scarecrow
schoolbook
schoolboy
schoolbus
schoolhouse
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
softball
software
somebody
somebody
someday
someday
somehow
somehow
someone
someone
someplace
someplace
something
something
sometime
sometimes
sometimes
someway
somewhat
somewhat
somewhere
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
streetcar
stronghold
subway
sunbaked
sunbathe
Sunday
sundial
sundown
sunfish
sunflower
sunglasses
sunlit
sunray
sunroof
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
tailspin
takeoff
takeoff
takeout
takeover
talebearer
talebearer
taleteller
tapeworm
tapeworm
taproom
taproom
taproot
taproot
target
taskmaster
taskmaster
tattletale
taxicab
taxpayer
teacup
teammate
teammate
teamwork
teapot
teardrop
teardrop
teaspoon
teaspoon
teenager
telltale
telltale
tenderfoot
tenderfoot
tenderhearted
tenderloin
tenfold
textbook
themselves
therefore
throwaway
throwback
thunderbird
thunderbolt
thundershower
thunderstorm
timekeeper
timepieces
timesaving
timeshare
timetable
today
together
toolbox
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
underexpose
underexpose
underfeed
underfinance
underfoot
underfoot
underfur
undergarment
undergird
undergo
undergraduate
underground
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
upstart
upstate
upstate
upstream
upstream
upsurge
upswing
uptake
uptake
upthrust
uptight
uptime
uptown
upturn
upturn
upward
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
