Definition of 'compound'
Word forms: compounds plural3rd person singular present tense, compounding present participle, compounded past tense past participlepronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (kɒmpaʊnd
). The verb is pronounced (kəmpaʊnd
).
1. countable noun
2. countable noun
In chemistry, a compound is a substance that consists of two or more elements.
3. countable noun
4. adjective [ADJ n]
Compound is used to indicate that something consists of two or more parts or things.
5. transitive verb
To compound a problem, difficulty, or mistake means to make it worse by adding to it.
6. adjective [ADJ n]
In grammar, a compound noun, adjective, or verb is one that is made up of two or more words, for example
`fire engine,' `bottle-green,' and ` firelight.'
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
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Video: pronunciation of
compound
American English pronunciation
British English pronunciation
Word Frequency
compound in American English 1
verb transitive
1.
to mix or combine
2.
to make by combining parts or elements
3.
to settle by mutual agreement; specif., to settle (a debt) by a compromise payment of less than the total
claim
4.
to compute (interest) on the sum of the principal and the accumulated interest which has accrued at regular intervals
interest compounded semiannually
5.
to increase or intensify by adding new elements
to compound a problem
adjective
9.
made of two or more separate parts or elements
noun
10.
a thing formed by the mixture or combination of two or more parts or elements
11.
a substance containing two or more elements chemically combined in fixed proportions
see also mixture12.
a word composed of two or more base morphemes, whether hyphenated or not
English compounds are usually distinguished from phrases by reduced stress on one
of the elements and by changes in meaning (Ex.: blackʹbird, blackʹ birdʹ; grandʹ-aunt, grandʹ auntʹ)Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME compounen < OFr compon(d)re, to arrange, direct < L componere, to put together: see compositeWord Frequency
compound in American English 2
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
Anglo-Ind < Malay kampong, enclosure
Word Frequency
compound in American English 1
(adjective ˈkɑmpaund, kɑmˈpaund, noun ˈkɑmpaund, verb kəmˈpaund, ˈkɑmpaund)
adjective
2.
having or involving two or more actions or functions
The mouth is a compound organ
3. Grammar
of or pertaining to a compound sentence or compound-complex sentence
4. (of a word)
a.
consisting of two or more parts that are also bases, as housetop, many-sided, playact, or upon
b.
consisting of any two or more parts that have identifiable meaning, as a base and
a noninflectional affix (return, follower), a base and a combining form (biochemistry), two combining forms (ethnography), or a combining form and a noninflectional affix ( aviary, dentoid)
5. (of a verb tense)
consisting of an auxiliary verb and a main verb, as are swimming, have spoken, or will write (opposed to simple)
6. Botany
composed of several similar parts that combine to form a whole
a compound fruit
7. Zoology
composed of a number of distinct individuals that are connected to form a united whole
or colony, as coral
8. Music
of or pertaining to compound time
9. Machinery
noting an engine or turbine expanding the same steam or the like in two successive chambers to do work at two ranges of pressure
noun
12.
a compound word, esp. one composed of two or more words that are otherwise unaltered, as moonflower or rainstorm
transitive verb
13.
to put together into a whole; combine
to compound drugs to form a new medicine
14.
to make or form by combining parts, elements, etc.; construct
to compound a new plan from parts of several former plans
15.
to make up or constitute
all the organs and members that compound a human body
16.
to settle or adjust by agreement, esp. for a reduced amount, as a debt
17. Law
to compound a crime or felony
18.
to pay (interest) on the accrued interest as well as the principal
My bank compounds interest quarterly
19.
to increase or add to
The misery of his loneliness was now compounded by his poverty
intransitive verb
21.
to make a bargain; come to terms; compromise
22.
to settle a debt, claim, etc., by compromise
23.
to form a compound
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
compoundable adjective
compoundedness
noun
compounder
noun
Word origin
[1350–1400; (v.) ME compounen ‹ MF compon- (s. of compondre) ‹ L compōnere, equiv. to com- com- + pōnere to put; (adj.) ME compouned, ptp. of compounen, as above]Word Frequency
compound in American English 2
(ˈkɑmpaund)
noun
1. (in the Far East)
an enclosure containing residences, business offices, or other establishments of Europeans
2. (in Africa)
a similar enclosure for native laborers
3.
any enclosure, esp. for prisoners of war
4.
any separate cluster of homes, often owned by members of the same family
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1670–80; alter., by assoc. with compound1, of Malay kampung village, collection, gathering; cf. kampong]Word Frequency
compound in British English 1
noun (ˈkɒmpaʊnd
)
1.
a substance that contains atoms of two or more chemical elements held together by
chemical bonds
2.
any combination of two or more parts, aspects, etc
3.
a word formed from two existing words or combining forms
verb (kəmˈpaʊnd
) (mainly tr)
4.
to mix or combine so as to create a compound or other product
5.
to make by combining parts, elements, aspects, etc
to compound a new plastic
adjective (ˈkɒmpaʊnd
)
12.
composed of or created by the combination of two or more parts, elements, etc
13.
(of a word) consisting of elements that are also words or productive combining forms
14.
(of a sentence) formed by coordination of two or more sentences
15.
(of a verb or the tense, mood, etc, of a verb) formed by using an auxiliary verb in addition to the main verb
the future in English is a compound tense involving the use of such auxiliary verbs
as 'shall' and 'will'
16. music
a.
denoting a time in which the number of beats per bar is a multiple of three
six-four is an example of compound time
b.
(of an interval) greater than an octave
18.
(of a steam engine, turbine, etc) having multiple stages in which the steam or working fluid from one stage is
used in a subsequent stage
19.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
compoundable (comˈpoundable) adjective
compounder (comˈpounder)
noun
Word origin
C14: from earlier compounen, from Old French compondre to collect, set in order, from Latin compōnereWord Frequency
compound in British English 2
noun
1.
3.
(formerly in India, China, etc) the enclosure in which a European's house or factory stood
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C17: by folk etymology (influenced by compound1) from Malay kampong village
Word Frequency
compound in the Pharmaceutical Industry
(kɒmpaʊnd)
Word forms: (regular plural) compounds
noun
(Pharmaceutical: Administration)
A compound is a mixture of substances producing another substance.
Fluorocarbons are compounds consisting of fluorine and carbon.
Set up a reaction of iron and sulfur to form a chemical compound.
A compound is a mixture of substances producing another substance.
Collins COBUILD Key Words for the Pharmaceutical Industry. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Examples of 'compound' in a sentence
compound
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In other languages
compound
British English: compound
NOUN /'kɒmpaʊnd/
A compound is an enclosed area of land that is used for a particular purpose.
They took refuge in the embassy compound.
British English: compound
ADJECTIVE /'kɒmpaʊnd/
Compound is used to indicate that something consists of two or more parts or things.
...a tall shrub with shiny compound leaves.
British English: compound
VERB /kəmˈpaʊnd/
To compound a problem, difficulty, or mistake means to make it worse by adding to it.
Additional loss of life will only compound the tragedy.
- American English: compound /ˈkɒmpaʊnd, kəmˈpaʊnd/
- Brazilian Portuguese: agravar
- Chinese: 加剧
- European Spanish: agravar
- French: aggraver
- German: verschlimmern
- Italian: peggiorare
- Japanese: 悪化させる
- Korean: 악화시키다
- European Portuguese: agravar
- Spanish: agravar
- Thai: ทำให้เพิ่มขึ้น
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compound
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Definition of compound from the Collins English Dictionary
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