Forming compound words

In a nutshell

Compound words are made when two or more words are joined together to create a new word with its own meaning. In this summary, you will learn about different types of compound nouns and how they are formed.

Compound words

Compound words are created when two or more root words are joined together to create a new word. This word has its own separate meaning.

Examples

word 1	word 2	new compound word
foot	ball	football
rain	bow	rainbow

Closed compound words

Closed compound words are generally accepted as one word. Usually they are only made up of two words.

Examples

Grandmother
Sunflower
Honeycomb

Open compound words

Open compound words are formed when adjectives combine with a noun to create a new noun. Because there is a space between the words, they can be harder to spot as compound words.

Examples

Dinner table
Ice cream
Full moon