Compound (linguistics)

Common card · No. 256089

In linguistics, a compound is a lexeme (less precisely, a word or sign) that consists of more than one stem. Compounding, composition or nominal composition is the process of word formation that creates compound lexemes. Compounding occurs when two or more words or signs are joined to make a longer word or sign. Consequently, a compound is a unit composed of more than one stem, forming words or signs. If the joining of the words or signs is orthographically represented with a hyphen, the result is a hyphenated compound (e.g., must-have, hunter-gatherer). If they are joined without an intervening space, it is a closed compound or solid compound (e.g., footpath, blackbird). If they are joined with a space (e.g. school bus, cell phone, high school, lowest common denominator), then the result – at least in English – is an open compound. The meaning of the compound may be similar to or different from the meaning of its components in isolation. The component stems of a compound may be of the...

Read on Wikipedia