Compound Words

Compound words

Compound words are formed when two or more words are joined together to create a new word that has an entirely new meaning.

These words are formed by either adding a hyphen or just using the two words as a single term. Compound words can be written in three ways:

(1) Open compounds

An open compound word is created in cases when the modifying adjective is used with its noun to create a new noun. They are spelled as two words.

example: ice cream, living room, dinning table .

(2) Closed compounds

Closed compound words are usually made up of only two words. They are joined to form a single word. They are formed when two fully independent, unique words are combined to create a new word.

Example: doorknob, notebook, fireman, bookstore

(3) Hyphenated compounds

Words that use a hyphen in between two words.

Example: Long-term, second-rate, merry-go-round,

More than two words can form a compound (e.g., mother-in-law).

Examples of Compound Words

1st Word	2nd Word	Compound Word
Sun	glasses	Sunglasses
book	case	bookcase
stair	case	staircase
Sun	Flower	Sunflower
Sea	Shell	seashell
high	chair	highchair
bed	room	bedroom
gold	fish	goldfish
wrist	watch	wristwatch
rain	bow	rainbow
butter	fly	butterfly
wind	shield	windshield
fire	man	fireman
star	fish	starfish
ice	cream	ice-cream
sauce	pan	saucepan
coffee	maker	coffeemaker
egg	shell	eggshell
earth	worm	earthworm
air	plane	Airplane
water	melon	watermelon
wheel	chair	wheelchair
Tea	spoon	Teaspoon
Work	sheets	worksheets
super	star	superstar
straw	berry	strawberry
space	ship	spaceship
solar	system	solar system
skate	board	skate board
rain	coat	raincoat
news	paper	newspaper
mid	night	midnight
light	house	lighthouse
hot	dog	hotdog
hand	shake	handshake
French	fries	French fries
mail	box	mailbox
in	side	inside
basket	ball	basketball
grand	father	grandfather
grass	hopper	grasshopper
moon	light	moonlight
living	room	living room
hot	dog	hot dog
check	in	check-in
father-in	law	father-in-law
two	fold	two-fold
one	half	one-half
after	birth	afterbirth
air	brush	airbrush
back	ace	back ace
milk	shake	milkshake
note	book	notebook
arrow	head	arrowhead
pop	corn	popcorn
camp	fire	campfire
self	esteem	self-esteem
after	noon	afternoon
house	wife	housewife
jelly	fish	jellyfish
see	saw	seesaw
home	work	homework
door	knob	doorknob
tree	house	treehouse
scare	crow	scarecrow
thunder	storm	thunderstorm
him	self	himself
no	where	nowhere
eye	ball	eyeball
hand	shake	handshake
bird	house	birdhouse
cross	word	crossword
hose	pipe	hosepipe
motor	bike	motorbike
wind	mill	windmill
ear	ring	earring
cat	fish	catfish
air	craft	aircraft
water	fall	waterfall
lip	stick	lipstick
fish	bowl	fishbowl
back	bone	backbone
snow	flakes	snowflakes
fire	place	fireplace
black	berry	blackberry
flower	pot	flowerpot
cow	boy	cowboy
finger	nails	fingernails
honey	moon	honeymoon
hair	cut	haircut
ear	muffs	earmuffs
sea	horse	seahorse
suit	case	suitcase
foot	ball	football
loud	speaker	loudspeaker
post	man	postman
air	port	airport
your	self	yourself
flip	flop	flipflop
grass	hopper	grasshopper
bean	stalk	beanstalk
house	fly	housefly
rattle	snake	rattle snake
friend	ship	friendship
silk	worm	silkworm
honey	moon	honeymoon
luke	warm	lukewarm
key	board	keyboard
jelly	beans	jellybeans
life	guard	lifeguard
match	box	matchbox
pass	port	passport
jig	saw	jigsaw
nail	cutter	nail -cutter
open	minded	open-minded
story	book	story book
pony	tail	pony tail
for	ever	forever
sweet	heart	sweetheart
mouth	wash	mouthwash
arrow	head	arrowhead
dough	nut	doughnut
black	smith	blacksmith
wave	length	wavelength
up	stairs	upstairs
water	fall	waterfall
table	cloth	tablecloth
volley	ball	volleyball
sun	set	sunset
pepper	mint	peppermint
fire	cracker	firecracker
back	pack	backpack
wood	pecker	woodpecker
post	card	postcard
house	keeper	housekeeper
butter	milk	buttermilk
clock	wise	clockwise
store	room	storeroom
down	pour	downpour
wipe	out	wipeout
blue	print	blueprint
brief	case	briefcase
dragon	fly	dragonfly
hour	glass	hourglass
bare	foot	barefoot
whirl	pool	whirlpool
knee	cap	kneecap
step	mother	stepmother
sky	scrapers	skyscrapers
black	list	blacklist
tooth	fairy	tooth fairy
cave	man	caveman
pin	hole	pinhole
nut	cracker	nutcracker
eye	sight	eyesight
under	graduate	undergraduate
car	pet	carpet
ware	house	warehouse
back	yard	backyard
eye	lash	eyelash
head	ace	headace
body	guard	bodyguard
white	wash	whitewash
what	ever	whatever
water	cooler	watercooler
type	writer	typewriter
town	ship	township
super	market	superman
stock	room	stockroom
some	day	someday
yog	hurt	yoghurt
under	wear	underwear
suit	case	suitcase
paper	soap	papersoap
mother	hood	motherhood
pea	nut	peanut
lime	stone	limestone
land	mark	landmark
grave	yard	graveyard
for	get	forget
every	time	everytime
day	time	daytime
counter	part	counterpart
cross	breed	crossbreed