Dictionary definition · compound
noun
- a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts
- (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight
- an enclosure of residences and other building (especially in the Orient)
- a word (as anthropology, kilocycle, builder) consisting of any of various combinations of words, combining forms, or affixes."Also common in English is another type of verb-noun (or noun-verb) compound, in which an argument of the verb is incorporated into the verb, which is then usually turned into a gerund, such as breastfeeding, finger-pointing, etc."
verb
- make more intense, stronger, or more marked"The efforts were intensified"
- put or add together"combine resources"
- calculate principal and interest
- create by mixing or combining
- combine so as to form a whole; mix"compound the ingredients"
adjective
- composed of more than one part"compound leaves are composed of several lobes"
- consisting of two or more substances or ingredients or elements or parts"soap is a compound substance"
- composed of many distinct individuals united to form a whole or colony"coral is a colonial organism"
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).