Example
Boy + friend = Boyfriend
Snow + Storm = Snowstorm
Basket + Ball = Basketball
Compound nouns aren’t just formed by combining nouns, but by combining other words such as verbs, adjectives, and prepositions as well. Two words that combine perfectly are known as closed compound nouns.
Example
Hair (noun) + cut (verb) = Haircut
Smart (adjective) + phone (noun) = Smartphone
Over (preposition) + time (noun) = Overtime
Break (verb) + up (preposition) = Breakup
A compound noun can be a common noun, a proper noun, or an abstract noun.
Example
Keyboard (common), Pizza Hut (proper), lovesickness (abstract)
Compound nouns do not need to exist in combined form all the time. Two separate words that always exist together can also be termed compound nouns. They are called open compound nouns.
Example
Trash can, peanut butter, house party, slam dunk
Compound nouns can also be linked together using hyphens. They are known as hyphenated compound nouns.
Example
Father-in-law, X-ray, know-it-all
List of Compound Nouns
- Aftermath
- Aircraft
- Airfield
- Airline
- Airmail
- Airport
- Anymore
- Anyplace
- Anything
- Anywhere
- Armchair
- Armpit
- Backache
- Background
- Backlash
- Backlog
- Backside
- Bandwagon
- Bankbook
- Banknote
- Barman
- Barnyard
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bathroom
- Battlefield
- Battleship
- Bedroom
- Bedspread
- Bedtime
- Billboard
- Birthday
- Blackbird
- Blackboard
- Blacklist
- Bobcat
- Booklet
- Bookshelf
- Bookworm
- Boyfriend
- Brainstorm
- Breakfast
- Briefcase
- Bulldog
- Bullfight
- Buttercup
- Butterfly
- Bystander
- Canopy
- Carpet
- Catfish
- Cathouse
- Chairman
- Check-in
- Checkmate
- Checkup
- Cheesecloth
- Chopstick
- Classmate
- Clockwork
- Comeback
- Copycat
- Copyright
- Countdown
- Courtyard
- Cowboy
- Cowboys
- Crackdown
- Crackpot
- Cream
- Crossbeam
- Crossroad
- Cupboard
- Cutback
- Cutouts
- Daredevil
- Darkroom
- Daybreak
- Daydream
- Daytime
- Deadline
- Deadlock
- Deathtrap
- Dishwasher
- Dishwater
- Do-Gooder
- Doorbell
- Doorstop
- Doorway
- Downfall
- Downpour
- Dragonfly
- Drainpipe
- Drawback
- Drawbridge
- Drawstring
- Driftwood
- Driveway
- Drugstore
- Drumstick
- Eardrum
- Earphone
- Earphones
- Earring
- Earrings
- Earthworm
- Earwig
- Egghead
- Evergreen
- Everybody
- Everyday
- Everything
- Eyeball
- Eyeglasses
- Eyelid
- Farmhouse
- Feedback
- Fingerprint
- Firearm
- Firefly
- Fireman
- Firepot
- Firewood
- Fireworks
- Fishbowl
- Flashback
- Foolproof
- Football
- Footnote
- Footprint
- Forecast
- Foretaste
- Fortune
- Freeway
- Friendship
- Fruitcake
- Full
- Gateway
- Gentleman
- Godfather
- Goldfish
- Grandfather
- Grandmother
- Grapefruit
- Grasshopper
- Greenhouse
- Guidebook
- Guideline
- Gunfire
- Gunpowder
- Haircut
- Hallway
- Handbag
- Handcuff
- Handmade
- Handshake
- Hanger-on
- Headache
- Headlight
- Heartbeat
- Highway
- Homework
- Honeymoon
- Horsefly
- Hot
- Houseboat
- Household
- Housework
- Ice
- Iceberg
- Implant
- Inland
- Inside
- Issued
- Jellyfish
- Jigsaw
- Keyboard
- Keyhole
- Kneecap
- Ladybug
- Landlady
- Landslide
- Leadership
- Leftovers
- Lifespan
- Lighthouse
- Lipstick
- Looker-on
- Lookout
- Loophole
- Lovebird
- Mailbox
- Mailtime
- Manhunt
- Marketplace
- Middleman
- Mindless
- Moon
- Moonlight
- Myself
- Network
- Newspaper
- Nightclub
- Nightmare
- Nobody
- Notebook
- Oatmeal
- Onlooker
- Onset
- Ourself
- Outdoor
- Outlook
- Output
- Outside
- Overboard
- Overcoat
- Overdose
- Overdue
- Overseas
- Overthrow
- Overtime
- Pancake
- Paperback
- Partnership
- Passer-by
- Passport
- Password
- Pebble
- Penknife
- Photocopy
- Pigtail
- Policeman
- Popcorn
- Postman
- Quicksand
- Racehorse
- Railway
- Rainbow
- Raincoat
- Raindrops
- Rainfall
- Rattlesnake
- Reach
- Redhead
- Ringworm
- Runway
- Sailboat
- Saltwater
- Sandbags
- Sandcastle
- Saucepan
- Sawdust
- Scarecrow
- Seafood
- Seashell
- Seashore
- Seaweed
- Semantic
- Shellfish
- Shorthand
- Shotgun
- Sickbed
- Sideburns
- Sidekick
- Sidewalk
- Silkworm
- Skateboard
- Skullcap
- Skyscraper
- Snowball
- Snowboard
- Snowfall
- Softball
- Software
- Songbird
- Southeast
- Spaceship
- Sportsman
- Spotlight
- Stalemate
- Starlight
- Stepchild
- Stopwatch
- Strawberry
- Strongbox
- Suitcase
- Sunlight
- Sunshine
- Sunspot
- Swordfish
- Take-off
- Tapeworm
- Teacup
- Teapot
- Teardrop
- Teaspoon
- Thunderstorm
- Timetable
- Toadstool
- Toolbox
- Toothpick
- Tugboat
- Undermine
- Upturn
- Vineyard
- Wallpapers
- Wardrobe
- Watchdog
- Waterproof
- Weekend
- Westline
- Windpipe
- Wiretap
- Workshop
- Worldwide
- Worm
- Yourself
- Yourselves
