compound noun it's a kind of substantive which has more than one radical. It can be formed by juxtaposition or agglutination and can have a hyphen or not, according to the rules for using this graphic sign.
Read too: Collective noun — the name given to a set of beings or things of the same kind
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary about compound noun
- 2 - Formation of the compound noun
- 3 - Plural of compound nouns
- 4 - Examples of compound noun in sentences
- 5 - What are the differences between compound noun and simple noun?
- 6 - Other types of nouns
- 7 - Solved exercises on compound nouns
Summary about compound noun
A compound noun is a noun that has more than one root.
In juxtaposition, the union between the elements of the compound noun occurs, without changing any of them.
In agglutination, there is a fusion between the elements of the compound noun, with an alteration of one of them.
The compound noun may or may not have a hyphen, according to the rules for using this graphic sign.
Unlike the compound noun, which has more than one radical, the simple noun has only one radical.
There are other types of nouns, namely: common, proper, primitive, derived, concrete and abstract.
Compound noun formation
The compound noun is substantive formed by two or more radicals. Below, we list the following cases of compound noun formation:
Compound nouns formed by juxtaposition:
In juxtaposition, the elements that make up the noun come together without undergoing any change. Examples:
hobby
cauliflower
shuttle
Compound nouns formed by agglutination:
In the agglutination, the elements are fused to each other, causing alteration of one of them. Examples:
brandy
Highland
vinegar
gentleman
Do not stop now... There's more after the publicity ;)
Compound noun with hyphen:
There are rules for using the hyphen, and compound nouns follow these rules, for example:
Rule |
Example |
compound noun without connecting element |
rainbow |
animal species name, with or without linking element |
I saw you |
plant species name, with or without linking element |
cauliflower |
compound noun formed by prefix followed by “h” |
unhygienic |
compound noun formed by a vowel identical to the one at the end of the prefix |
anti-inflammatory |
Compound noun without hyphen:
Some cases where we don't use a hyphen:
Case |
Examples |
noun composed by agglutination |
pointed etc. |
compound noun that has a connecting element |
sunset, sponge cake etc. |
compound noun formed by a prefix NOT followed by “h” or by a vowel identical to the one at the end of the prefix |
supermarket, ultrasound, driving school etc. |
compound noun that has lost the notion of composition |
sunflower, bigwig etc. |
plural of compound nouns
Situation |
Rule |
Examples |
compound nouns without hyphen |
only the last term changes |
spirits, plateaus, vinegars, fidalgos etc. |
compound noun formed by terms linked by an explicit or implicit preposition |
only the first term takes the plural form |
headless mule (headless mule), horsepower (horsepower) etc |
hyphenated compound nouns |
when the first term is a verb or invariable word, and the second term is a noun or adjective, only the second term is pluralized |
hummingbird (hummingbirds), parasol (parasols), vice-principal (vice-principals), superman (supermen) etc. |
when both terms are variable, both take the plural form |
Monday (Mondays), Great Aunt (Great Aunts), Cotton Candy (Cotton Candy) etc. |
|
when terms are linked by preposition, only the first goes to the plural |
Bengal tiger (Bengal tigers), wild boar (wild pigs) etc. |
|
when the noun is formed by repeated words or is an onomatopoeia, only the second term takes the plural form |
tico-tico (tico-ticos), bem-te-vi (bem-te-vis) etc. |
|
when the second term characterizes the first, only the first term goes to the plural |
manatees (manatees), family wages (family wages) etc. |
Examples of compound noun in sentences
Main hobby from Gregório are European films.
My five year old son loves it cauliflower.
I can't stand this shuttle of life.
The cachaça is a brandy typical of Brazil.
Helo doesn't like vinegar on lettuce.
In the 19th century, the gentlemen looked down on ordinary Brazilians.
What are the colors of rainbow?
O I saw you It is a very well known bird in Brazil.
The inspectors noticed behavior unhygienic in the restaurant kitchen.
Sandra works so hard she can't see the sunset.
I never ate sponge cake.
The employees of supermarket they shouldn't talk about politics in front of customers.
The result of ultrasound it was negative.
the teacher of driving school taught us rote techniques.
It is true that the sunflower follow the movement of the Sun?
Arthur was now bigwig of the piece!
A headless mule is part of the rich Brazilian folklore.
Yesterday, one hummingbird appeared on the porch here at home.
Do not exist supermen.
A vice director of the company dismissed the secretary.
Ricardo woke up late at Mondays.
We buy Cotton Candy while walking in the park.
O Bengal tiger It is yet another endangered species.
Carmen Miranda made the song famous Tico-Tico in cornmeal.
What are the differences between compound noun and simple noun?
-
compound noun is one that has more than one radical:
perfect love;
light-years;
chat;
parachute;
anise.
-
ssimple nounis the one that has only one radical:
book;
table;
chair;
school;
snack.
Other types of noun
common noun: indicates beings of the same species: asphalt, equality, fear, etc.
proper noun: indicates a particular being: Luís, Pernambuco, Rosalva, etc.
primitive noun: gives rise to other nouns: house, letter, etc.
derived noun: comes from another noun: caretaker, postman, etc.
Concrete noun: refers to a real or fictional being: ghost, man, pencil, etc.
Abstract noun: points to quality, feeling, action or state: purity, determination, despair, arrival, etc.
See too: Adjective — the word class that accompanies and characterizes nouns
Solved exercises on compound noun
question 1
Analyze the statements below and mark the alternative that NO presents a compound noun.
A) The planet is already home to eight billion people, and nobody seems to care.
B) Alexander saw, for the first time, a seahorse and was impressed.
C) My old grandmother really believed she saw a big werewolf.
D) In the 1960s, the miniskirt was a big hit in the western world.
E) Mosquitoes invaded the house on that hot early evening.
Resolution:
Alternative A
The nouns “seahorse”, “werewolf”, “miniskirt” and “stilts” are compound nouns.
question 2
Mark the alternative in which all nouns are compound.
A) The painter made his self-portrait and showed his work to the whole world.
B) The ticking of the clock made her irritable and prevented her from sleeping.
C) Today, we eat pé de moleque, sponge cake, and drink a delicious brandy.
D) When the rain started, I realized that I had forgotten my umbrella at home.
E) It is necessary to encourage girls and boys to choose a scientific career.
Resolution:
Alternative C
They are simple nouns: “painter”, “work” and “world” (alternative A); “clock” and “sleep” (alternative B); “rain” and “house” (alternative D); “girls”, “boys” and “career” (alternative E).
question 3
Both terms of the compound nouns of the alternatives below take the plural form, except:
A) Thursday.
B) Skyscraper.
C) Lieutenant.
D) Snitch.
E) Stupid.
Resolution:
Alternative B
The plural of the compound noun "skyscraper" is "skyscraper". Therefore, only the second term goes into the plural.
By Warley Souza
Portuguese teacher
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUZA, Warley. "compound noun"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/substantivo-composto.htm. Accessed on July 16, 2023.
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