Meaning & Definition of word "Compound"

Compound

/ˈkämˌpaund/

1. A substance formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements in fixed proportions.
- Example: Water is a compound made from hydrogen and oxygen.
2. A mixture of two or more things.
- Example: The garden contained a compound of herbs, flowers, and shrubs.
3. A walled or fenced area containing a group of buildings.
- Example: The military compound was secure and off-limits to civilians.

1. To put together multiple elements to form a whole.
- Example: The chemist needs to compound these ingredients to create the new drug.
2. To add to, intensifying or increasing the effect of something.
- Example: His mistakes compounded the problem, making it worse.

1. Made up of or consisting of two or more parts or elements.
- Example: The compound interest on her savings account helped it grow significantly.
2. Denoting two or more elements combined.
- Example: In linguistics, a compound word is formed from two or more words.

Middle English: from Old French 'compon', from Latin 'componere', from 'com-' (together) + 'ponere' (to place).

compound interest:

Interest calculated on the initial principal, which also includes all of the accumulated interest from previous periods.

compound sentence:

A sentence that contains at least two independent clauses, joined by a coordinating conjunction.

compound word:

A word that consists of two or more words combined to create a new meaning.

composition:

The act of combining parts to make a whole.

composite:

Made up of various parts or elements.

compounder:

A person or machine that combines different elements or substances.

Meaning: A place where a group of people live or work, often enclosed.

Example Sentence: The crew lived in a compound while filming.

Meaning: To increase in severity or extent.

Example Sentence: Don't let your problems compound.