What Is a Compound Noun?

A compound noun is a noun that is formed by a combination of more than one part of speech. Compound
nouns are of three main types: Open or spaced compound nouns, hyphenated compound nouns and closed or
solid compound nouns.

Definition of a Compound Noun

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a compound noun is defined as ‘a noun that is made up of two or
more different words, for example, “cake shop”, “French fries”, “high-flyer”, or “schoolteacher”.’ The Oxford
Learners’ Dictionary provides a similar definition. It defines a compound noun as ‘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. Travel agent, dark-haired and bathroom are all compound nouns.’

Types of Compound Nouns with Examples

As mentioned above, there are three main types of compound nouns.

Spaced or Open Compound Noun

A spaced or open compound noun is one in which there is a space between the two words which form the
compound noun.

For example:

 Cricket bat
 Fast food
 Flower shop

Hyphenated Compound Nouns

A hyphenated compound noun is one in which the two words are separated with the use of a hyphen.

For example:

 By-product
 Mother-in-law
 Passer-by
Closed or Solid Compound Nouns

A closed or solid compound noun is one in which the two words do not have any spaces or hyphens separating
them. They are usually considered as a single word.

For example:

 Sunflower
 Classroom
 Rainfall

Forming Compound Nouns

You can form compound nouns by combining different parts of speech. All compound nouns, though
belonging to different parts of speech, perform the same function as a noun. Let us see how different
compound nouns are formed.

Noun + Noun

Check out the following examples of compound nouns formed using two separate nouns.

Compound Noun Noun Noun

Bus stop Bus Stop

Firefly Fire Fly

Basketball Basket Ball

Railway Station Railway Station

Football Foot Ball

Railway Junction Railway Junction

Airport Air Port

Headmistress Head Mistress

Ship deck Ship Deck

Sweatshirt Sweat Shirt

Noun + Verb

Have a look at the following compound nouns formed using a noun and a verb.

Compound Noun Noun Verb

Haircut Hair Cut

Sunrise Sun Rise

Sunset Sun Set

Rainfall Rain Fall

Snowfall Snow Fall

Footprint Foot Print

Roleplay Role Play

Healthcare Health Care

Gunfight Gun Figh

Noun + Gerund

Take a look at the following compound nouns formed using a combination of a noun and a gerund (verb+ing).

Compound Noun Noun Gerund

Sightseeing Sight Seeing

Birdwatching Bird Watching

Handwriting Hand Writing

Mountain climbing Mountain Climbing

River rafting River Rafting

 Copy-editing Copy Editing

Ballet dancing Ballet Dancing

Bookkeeping Book Keeping

Cat walking Cat Walking

Time consuming Time Consuming

Gerund + Noun

Check out the following examples of compound nouns by combining a gerund and a noun.

Compound Noun Gerund Noun

Washing machine Washing Machine

Dressing table Dressing Table

Magnifying lens Magnifying Lens

Visiting card Visiting Card

Fishing net Fishing Net

Driving licence Driving Licence

Sewing machine Sewing Machine

Cooking gas Cooking Gas

Waiting room Waiting Room

Helping hand Helping Hand

Noun + Preposition + Noun/Noun + Prepositional Phrase

Given below are compound nouns formed by combining a noun and a preposition phrase.
 Compound Noun Noun Prepositional Phrase

Mother-in-law Mother In-law

Father-in-law Father In-law

Sister-in-law Sister In-law

Brother-in-law Brother In-law

Son-in-law Son In-law

Daughter-in-law Daughter In-law

Lady-in-waiting Lady In-waiting

Jack-of-all-trades Jack Of-all-trades

Preposition + Verb

Have a look at the compound nouns given below formed by combining a preposition and a verb.

Compound Noun Preposition Verb

Output Out Put

Input In Put

Outlet Out Let

Understand Under Stand

Overthrow Over Throw

Undercut Under Cut

Underpass Under Pass

Intake In Take

Uproar Up Roar
 Outburst Out Burs

Verb + Preposition

Given below are examples of compound nouns formed by a combination of a verb and a preposition.

Compound Noun Verb Preposition

Check-in Check In

Check-out Check Out

Check-up Check Up

Lookout Look Out

Breakdown Break Down

Shutdown Shut Down

Makeup Make Up

Take-out Take Out

Buildup Build Up

Sign-off Sign Off

Preposition + Noun

Here are a few examples of compound nouns formed by the combination of a preposition and a noun.

Compound Noun Preposition Noun

Underground Under Ground

Afterlife After Life

Underworld Under World

Background Back Ground

 Offshore Off Shore

Outpatient Out Patient

Upstairs Up Stairs

Offspring Off Spring

Overnight Over Night

Underline Under Line

Adjective + Noun

Check out the following compound nouns formed by combining an adjective and a noun.

Compound Noun Adjective Noun

Blackboard Black Board

Greenroom Green Room

Granddaughter Grand Daughter

Hardware Hard Ware

Hot dog Hot Dog

Smartphone Smart Phone

Bluebird Blue Bird

Small talk Small Talk

Blueberry Blue Berry

Hotspot Hot Spot

Adjective + Verb

Have a look at the following compound nouns formed by combining an adjective and a verb.
 Compound Noun Adjective Verb

Drycleaning Dry Cleaning

Underfed Under Fed

Long awaited Long Awaited

Public speaking Public Speaking

Long lasting Long Lasting

Everlasting Ever Lasting

Highlight High Light

Repetitive Words / Rhyming Words

Take a look at the following compound nouns formed by a combination of two rhyming words or repetitive
words.

Compound Noun Word 1 Word 2

Hocus-pocus Hocus Pocus

Dillydally Dilly Dally

Boo-boo Boo Boo

Walkie-talkie Walkie Talkie

No-no No No

Argle-bargle Argle Bargle

Chit-chat Chit Chat

Artsy-fartsy Artsy Fartsy

Fiddle-faddle Fiddle Faddle

 Goo-goo Goo Goo

Mumbo-jumbo Mumbo Jumbo

Pitter-patter Pitter Patter

Places, Nationalities and Titles

Here are some compound nouns that refer to places, nationalities and titles.

Compound Noun Word 1 Word 2

Prime Minister Prime Minister

Chief Minister Chief Minister

Vice President Vice President

Joint Secretary Joint Secretary

Assistant Director Assistant Director

General Manager General Manager

Personal Assistant Personal Assistant

Circle Inspector Circle Inspector

Great grandmother Great Grandmother

Salesperson Sales Person

Latin American Latin American

South Korea South Korea

Native American Native American

Middle East Middle East

Anglo-Saxon Anglo Saxon

 Anglo-Indian Anglo Indian

Compound Noun Word 1 Word 2

Prime Minister Prime Minister

Chief Minister Chief Minister

Vice President Vice President

Joint Secretary Joint Secretary

Assistant Director Assistant Director

General Manager General Manager

Personal Assistant Personal Assistant

Circle Inspector Circle Inspector

Great grandmother Great Grandmother

Salesperson Sales Person

Latin American Latin American

South Korea South Korea

Native American Native American

Middle East Middle East

Anglo-Saxon Anglo Saxon

Anglo-Indian Anglo Indian