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Questions tagged [compounds]

Questions about words that are created by combining two or more other words together.

A compound noun is one that is formed from a combination of two or more words. Most compound nouns are formed from a noun and another part of speech, but there are some compounds that can be formed from bases other than nouns:

  • firetruck (noun + noun)
  • blackbird (adjective + noun)
  • downtown (preposition + noun)
  • layaway (verb + preposition)
  • roundabout (adjective + preposition)

Compounds which have been completely lexicalized are written without any space between them, as in the examples above. Some compounds are written with a hyphen (ex-wife), and compounds which aren't yet accepted as single words may be written as two words (ice cream). There are no hard and fast rules about which compounds are written which way.

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Life cycle, life-cycle or lifecycle?

I notice great variability in how this concept is expressed. Does the term vary depending on the context? Should one use one variation when discussing biology, for example, and another when talking about product phases? Wikipedia uses different…
Bill Lefurgy
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Is it timespan or time span?

I'm speaking of the noun having to do with an interval of time. I need this for programming purposes and it appears some people use "time span" and others "timespan" so I assume both are correct.
Adam Gent
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codebase or code base?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codebase Which is the more canonized version? canonized, not cannonized (although I'm certainly interested in anything that has been cannonized!)
ahnbizcad
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Why are some words combined into a single word while others stay as two words?

Examples: Anyone Anything Anytime Anywhere Everyone Everything Every time Everywhere No one Nothing No time Nowhere Someone Something Sometime Somewhere Why is there a discrepancy? Is there any rule for determining when to use a single word vs.…
Senseful
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what is the technical word for a "de-compounded" phrase

I am curious as to what the technical term for "de-compounding" a word is. For example, if I were to change the word "bookstore," and change it into the phrase, "store of books," what would that "process" of "de-compounding" a word be called?
Morella Almånd
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Compound words: what real compound word is composed of most words?

I was looking at this question about the word albeit and it got me thinking... what is the most compound, non-hyphenated, real word in English? Strictly speaking, albeit might not be counted as a compound word because all dropped a letter, however…
John Berryman
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Why is endpoint a word while startpoint is not?

My text editor complains when I type 'startpoint' and does not complain when I type 'endpoint'. Why does this difference exist and what should I use for each?
Timo
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Closed-toe, close-toe, or closed-toed shoes?

I've always used closed-toe (as in: "the toe of the shoe is closed"), but apparently, the different variations are fairly common. I suppose I could see how "closed-toed" would make sense in terms of a type of shoe ("the shoe has closed toes; it is…
rockerest
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What are the two parts to a compound word?

I'm wondering what each word that compromise a compound word is called. For example, You would say: "Life" is the first ____ in "lifetime". There are two ____s in "lifetime". Is the answer I am looking for simply "word", or is there another word…
Nathan Smith
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"-field" joining rule for compound words?

Is there a rule when to join a word with field and when to leave them as two separate words? Examples: I walked through a cornfield. I walked through a maize field. I walked through a minefield. I walked through a cabbage field. Why can I join…
GanSea
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Are words like "otherwise" and "maybe" considered compound words?

I typically think of words like "bittersweet" or "sandstorm" when I think of compound words. But words like "otherwise" or "maybe" also have two other complete words inside of them; are they also considered compound words? The reason I ask is…
MrHen
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What is right way to write this (break-down)

I prepared report on total spending in month along with break down by items.
user2757
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Is hamburger a compound word?

My ego is on the line here. My husband is insisting hamburger is a compound word because ham+burger. I say it's not because it's hamburg+er. Google keeps saying he's right, but really, what does google know?
Cassandra Mealer Gaspard
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"Uploaduser" or "upload user"

I'm working on a product where you can enable an upload user (or uploaduser?) which is a special user that has upload privileges. I'm not a native english speaker and I cannot figure out whether it should be written as one or two words. In my…
zkwsk
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Multiple word compound noun

Is there a limit on the number of nouns than can be used to make a compound noun ? For example, "water tank" and "christmas tree" are made of two words. Is it correct the write for example "code attribution problem" ?
Quentin
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