Introduction
Nouns refer to a person, place, thing, event, substance or quality.
A compound noun is a noun formed by a combination of words.
Form
A compound noun is a noun formed by two or more existing words which are combined to create a whole new noun.
The most commonly used compound nouns are:
| Part 1 | Part 2 | Compound Noun |
|---|---|---|
| air | port | airport |
| black | board | blackboard |
| cheese | cake | cheesecake |
| ear | ring | earring |
| fire | man | fireman |
| foot | ball | football |
| girl | friend | girlfriend |
| tea | spoon | teaspoon |
| wall | paper | wallpaper |
Example
- I am waiting for you at the airport.
- Lessons are conducted by the teacher at the blackboard.
- This cheesecake looks delicious, I want a large slice.
- I can’t find my earring anywhere.
- My little brother wants to be a fireman when he grows up.
- You need a ball to play football.
- Today I’m going to the movies with my girlfriend.
Use
We use compound nouns to create new words with new meaning.
Summary
A compound noun is a noun that is formed by two or more words and has a new meaning.
The most commonly used are: airport, blackboard, cheesecake, earring, fireman, football, girlfriend, teaspoon, wallpaper…
For example:
— Bed (resting place) + room (place surrounded by walls) → Bedroom (place with a bed used to rest).
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.