Compound Nouns - Definition, Types, Rules and Examples

A compound noun is a type of noun that is made up of two or more words. Compound nouns are often seen in everyday conversation. Go through the entire article to learn more about compound noun definition, types, rules and examples explained in an easy way. 

This article covers:

• Compound Nouns: Definition and Meaning 
• Compound Nouns Examples 
• Examples of Compound nouns in Sentences
• Types of Compound Nouns 
• Compound Nouns List
• Compound Nouns Exercises with Answers
• FAQs - Compound Nouns

Compound Nouns: Definition and Meaning

A compound noun is a type of noun that has two or more words acting as one word. Compound nouns are either with hyphen (such as result-oriented), with space (such as cat food) or with no space(such as boyfriend). The two or more words present in a compound noun have different meanings separately, but when the two are combined they give a totally new meaning.

What is the Exact Definition of a Compound Noun?

According to Collins Dictionary, a compound noun is defined as "A compound noun is a noun that is formed from two or more words.".

From the meaning of compound nouns given above, we can conclude that a compound noun:

• has two or more words combined.
• acts as one noun despite having more than one word.
• gives a new meaning when combined although the words in a compound noun have different meanings individually.
• can be with hyphen and space or without them.

Compound Nouns Example

• football
• playground
• cat food 
• dog food
• mother-in-law
• brother-in-law
• great-grandfather
• go-between 

Examples of Compound nouns in Sentences

Examples:

a. Sofia, where's your classmate?

b. I have to buy cat food by noon.

c. He is five-year-old.

d. John acted as a go-between.

e. Suan, where's your classroom?

f. You'll meet Stephen in the playground. 

g. I'll go to play volleyball at 5.

Types of Compound Nouns

Based on how they are combined, compound nouns are classed into the following three types. They're given as under:

1. Closed Compound Noun

Closed compound nouns are the compound nouns that have two words combined without space and hyphen. As a result, this type of compound noun looks like a single word.

Closed Compound Noun Examples

• football
• basketball
• volleyball
• classmate
• classroom
• boyfriend 
• girlfriend
• moonlight
• sunflower

2. Open Compound Noun

Open compound nouns are the compound nouns that have two combined with space. Open compound nouns are the opposites of closed compound nouns. As this type of compound nouns uses a space between the two words, it looks like two words.

Open Compound Noun Examples

• high school
• living room
• reading room 
• ice cream
• common sense
• cell phone

3. Hyphenated Compound Noun

Hyphenated compound nouns are the compound nouns that have two or more words combined with a hyphen in between. As a hyphen sits between the two or more words, this type of compound nouns looks like two words. 

Hyphenated Compound Noun Examples

• go-between
• check-in
• know-how
• well-being 
• well-off
• brother-in-law
• mother-in-law
• father-in-law

How to Form Compound Nouns?

To form a compound noun, two or more words are combined. The words used to form a compound noun can be two nouns, one adjective and one noun or one verb and one particle, etc. Compound nouns can be formed using the following ways:

• Noun + Noun: such as cat food, ice cream or classmate
• Adjective + Noun: such as Greenland, Greenhouse, small talk
• Verb + Particle: such as go-between, check-in or take off
• Verb + Noun: such as runway, breakwater or fall-guy
• Preposition + Noun: such as underworld, afterlife or bystander

Compound Nouns List

• football
• playground
• cat food 
• dog food
• mother-in-law
• brother-in-law
• great-grandfather
• go-between
• high school
• living room
• reading room 
• ice cream
• common sense
• cell phone
•  football
• basketball
• volleyball
• classmate
• classroom
• boyfriend 
• girlfriend
• moonlight
• sunflower

 

Compound Nouns Exercises with Answers

Select the compound nouns used in the below given sentences.

a. Sofia, where's your classmate?

b. I have to buy cat food by noon.

c. He is five-year-old.

d. John acted as a go-between.

e. Suan, where's your classroom?

f. You'll meet Stephen in the playground. 

g. I'll go to play volleyball at 5.

FAQs - Compound Nouns

Compound noun definition and examples

What is a compound noun? A compound noun is a noun that is formed from two or more words such as playground and go-between. 

What are the 10 examples of compound nouns?

a. Sofia, where's your classmate?

b. I have to buy cat food by noon.

c. He is five-year-old.

d. John acted as a go-between.

e. Suan, where's your classroom?

f. You'll meet Stephen in the playground. 

g. I'll go to play volleyball at 5.

h. Who is your father-in-law?

i. This is a research-oriented topic.

j. This is a multiple choice test.