Nouns are naming words that tell us about people, places, things, or ideas. One special kind of noun is a compound noun. It’s made by joining two or more words together to form a single idea. These words can be joined in different ways—sometimes with a hyphen, sometimes written as one word, and sometimes as two separate words. In this post, we’ll learn what compound nouns are, how they are formed, and see lots of useful examples to make the idea clear.
What are Compound Nouns?
A compound noun is a word made by joining two or more words to form a new, single idea. For example, toothbrush joins tooth and brush to mean a tool for cleaning teeth. Compound nouns can be written as one word (bedroom), with a hyphen (mother-in-law), or as separate words (school bus). The meaning of the whole word is usually different from the individual parts.
Examples of compound nouns:
- Bedroom (Bed + Room)
- Toothpaste (Tooth + Paste)
- Firefighter (Fire + Fighter)
- Bookstore (Book + Store)
- Sunflower (Sun + Flower)
Formation of Compound Nouns
Compound nouns can be formed in several ways:
Noun + Noun
This is one of the most common formations for compound nouns, where two nouns are combined to create a new noun representing a specific concept or object.
Examples:
- Bedroom
- Bookcase
- Football
- Raincoat
- Toothbrush
- Sunshine
Adjective + Noun
In this formation, an adjective is combined with a noun to describe a particular type or quality of the noun.
Examples:
- Blackboard
- Redhead
- Greenhouse
- Darkroom
- Coldwater
- Blueberry
Verb + Noun
Compound nouns can also be formed by combining a verb with a noun, often representing a person or object associated with the action.
Examples:
- Swimming pool
- Running shoes
- Washing machine
- Cooking pot
- Swimsuit
- Sleeping bag
Preposition + Noun
Prepositions can be part of compound nouns, indicating location, direction, or relationship.
Examples:
- Underground
- Offspring
- Underworld
- Outlook
- Forehead
- Overpass
Noun + Verb
In some cases, nouns can combine with verbs to form compound nouns, typically representing activities or events.
Examples:
- Breakfast
- Handshake
- Haircut
- Rainfall
- Footprint
- Playground
Adverb + Adjective
Though less common, compound nouns can also be formed by combining an adverb with an adjective to describe a specific quality or characteristic.
Examples:
- Afterwards
- Nearby
- Outside
- Inside
- Upstairs
Compound Nouns Formed by Noun + Preposition
This formation combines a noun with a preposition to indicate a specific location or relationship.
Examples:
- Backyard
- Bedroom
- Sidewalk
- Waterfall
- Highway
Gerund + Noun
Gerunds (verbs ending in “-ing” used as nouns) can combine with other nouns to create compound nouns, often representing activities or concepts.
Examples:
- Shopping cart
- Swimming pool
- Reading glasses
- Writing desk
- Running shoes
- Walking stick
Noun + Adjective
Sometimes, a noun is combined with an adjective to describe a particular type or quality of the noun.
Examples:
- Airplane
- Sunshine
- Earthquake
- Rainforest
- Firefly
Verb + Particle
Compound nouns can also be formed by combining a verb with a particle (often a preposition or adverb) to represent an action or event.
Examples:
- Breakthrough
- Runaway
- Takeoff
- Handout
- Checkout
Adjective + Verb
This formation combines an adjective with a verb to create compound nouns describing actions or characteristics.
Examples:
- Breakdown
- Outcry
- Uprising
- Outburst
- Outfield
Noun + Preposition + Noun
Sometimes, a compound noun consists of a noun followed by a preposition and then another noun.
Examples:
- Daughter-in-law
- Commander-in-chief
- Father-in-law
- Man-of-war
- Maid-of-honor
Types of Compound Nouns
Compound nouns can be grouped into different types based on how they are written:
- Closed Compound Nouns: Written as one word with no space. Example: football, blueberry.
- Hyphenated Compound Nouns: Joined by a hyphen. Example: mother-in-law, six-pack.
- Open Compound Nouns: Written as separate words. Example: ice cream, post office.
- Proper Compound Nouns: Specific names of people, places, or events. Example: New York, United States, World War II.
Compound Nouns List
- Bedroom
- Toothpaste
- Firefighter
- Bookstore
- Butterfly
- Goldfish
- Blackboard
- Moonlight
- Waterfall
- Raincoat
- Cupcake
- Sunglasses
- Hairbrush
- Schoolteacher
- Playground
- Sunflower
- Rainfall
- Doorbell
- Cupboard
- Teaspoon
- Headphones
- Moonlight
- Cupboard
- Notebook
- Snowflake
- Riverbank
- Snowman
- Raindrop
- Earthquake
- Newspaper
- Seashore
- Toothbrush
- Sidewalk
- Pancake
- Rainforest
- Sunshine
- Grasshopper
- Mailbox
- Footprint
- Daylight
- Wheelchair
- Headlight
- Sunglasses
- Eggplant
- Dragonfly
- Cupboard
- Snowball
- Buttercup
- Firefly
- Rainstorm
- Ice cream
- Parking lot
- Dining table
- Swimming pool
- High school
- Tooth fairy
- Paper airplane
- Fire station
- Tennis court
- Coffee shop
- Bus stop
- Fruit basket
- Police station
- Lemonade stand
- Soccer field
- Ice cream parlor
- Birdhouse
- Basketball court
- Pizza delivery
- Post office
- Train station
- Grocery store
- Flower shop
- Gas station
- Coffee table
- Football field
- Ice cream truck
- Treehouse
- Lemonade stand
- Flower garden
- Tennis racket
- Apple tree
- Fish tank
- Coffee mug
- Fishbowl
- Moonlight
- Grasshopper
- Watermelon
- Apple pie
- Ice cube
- Peanut butter
- Honey bee
- Jellyfish
- Baseball field
- Butter knife
- Ice cream cone
- Lemon tree
- Flower vase
- Birdhouse
- Fire truck
FAQs About Compound Nouns
Compound nouns can be formed by combining two or more words, and they fall into three main categories:
1. Open compounds (words spaced apart, like “ice cream”)
2. Hyphenated compounds (words joined by a hyphen, like “mother-in-law”)
3. Closed compounds (words written without spaces or hyphens, like “bedroom”)
Common compound nouns include:
1. Breakfast
2. Toothpaste
3. Raincoat
4. Classroom
5. Bookshelf
6. Crosswalk
7. Sunflower
8. Ice-cream
There are three main types of compound nouns:
1. Closed or solid (e.g., bedroom, toothpaste)
2. Hyphenated (e.g., sister-in-law, well-being)
3. Open or spaced (e.g., coffee shop, swimming pool)
Read More
Compound Nouns
Find the compound noun.
Identify the compound noun.
'Toothpaste' joins 'tooth' and 'paste' into one noun.
a compound noun joins two words into one name
Squeeze the toothpaste.
What two words form 'rainbow'?
Break the compound noun.
'Rainbow' fuses 'rain' and 'bow'.
compound nouns split into two real words
A rainbow arched overhead.
Which pattern forms 'bookshelf'?
Name the word pattern.
'Book' and 'shelf' are both nouns, so this is noun + noun.
noun + noun is the commonest compound pattern
Dust the bookshelf.
Which pattern forms 'blackboard'?
Name the word pattern.
'Black' describes 'board', so this is adjective + noun.
adjective + noun forms many compound nouns
Wipe the blackboard.
Which pattern forms 'swimming pool'?
Name the word pattern.
'Swimming' is a gerund describing the 'pool'.
gerund + noun forms compounds (swimming pool)
The swimming pool is closed.
Which is written as one closed word?
Choose the closed compound noun.
'Keyboard' is written as one closed word.
compounds may be closed, open, or hyphenated
Type on the keyboard.
Which is an open compound noun?
Choose the open compound.
'Bus stop' is written as two separate words, so it is open.
open compounds stay as two words
Wait at the bus stop.
Which is a hyphenated compound noun?
Choose the hyphenated compound.
'Mother-in-law' is joined with hyphens.
some compounds are hyphenated
My mother-in-law visited.
Pluralize the compound noun.
The plural of 'mother-in-law' is ___ .
The plural falls on the head noun 'mother': mothers-in-law.
pluralize the head noun of a compound
Both mothers-in-law arrived.
Pluralize the compound noun.
The plural of 'passer-by' is ___ .
The head noun 'passer' takes the plural: passers-by.
pluralize the head noun, not the modifier
Several passers-by stopped.
Pluralize the closed compound.
The plural of 'toothbrush' is ___ .
A closed compound adds the plural at the end: toothbrushes.
closed compounds pluralize at the end
Pack two toothbrushes.
Which word carries the main meaning?
In 'raincoat', which word is the head?
'Coat' names the object; 'rain' describes its purpose.
the head noun carries the core meaning
Wear a raincoat.
Find the compound noun.
Which phrase contains a compound noun?
'Full moon' names one object as a unit, so it is a compound noun.
compound nouns name one thing as a unit
A full moon rose.
True or false?
A compound noun is built from at least two words.
A compound noun fuses two or more words into one name.
compound nouns fuse words
A haircut takes ten minutes.
Which pattern forms 'haircut'?
Name the word pattern.
'Hair' is a noun and 'cut' works as the action, so noun + verb.
noun + verb also forms compounds (haircut)
She wants a haircut.
Which is a compound noun?
Choose the compound noun.
'Greenhouse' names one structure, so it is a compound noun.
meaning shows a compound (greenhouse vs green house)
Plants grow in the greenhouse.
Complete the compound noun.
A place to park cars is a car ___ .
'Car park' is an open compound naming a place for cars.
open compound: car park
Leave it in the car park.
Where does the stress usually fall?
In many two-word compound nouns, the stress falls on the ___ word.
Compound nouns often stress the first word: GREENhouse, BLACKbird.
compound nouns often stress the first word
A BLACKbird sang.
Pluralize the compound.
The plural of 'bus stop' is ___ .
The head noun 'stop' takes the plural: bus stops.
pluralize the head noun of an open compound
Three bus stops away.
True or false?
In 'mother-in-law', the plural is formed on the first part.
The head noun 'mother' takes the plural: mothers-in-law.
pluralize the head noun
Both mothers-in-law agreed.
Turn on JavaScript for the interactive quiz. The full practice set is shown above.
