What are Compound Words?
Compound words are made by joining two or more words; the combination creates a new word. They can be formed using two nouns, e.g. basketball, two non-nouns, e.g. blowup, or a noun and non-noun, e.g. sunrise. It is important to note that the words do not always keep their original meaning, e.g. breakfast. Our list of compound words contains 500 words.
There are three types of compound words:
- Closed compound words, e.g., football, peanut,
- Open compound words, e.g., cell phone, high school, and
- Hyphenated compound words, e.g., in-depth, runner-up.
List of Compound Words
To determine if a compound word is one word, two words or hyphenated, use a dictionary to look up the word or our lists below. The list below excludes both fractions and compound numbers from 21 to 91. These words are hyphenated, e.g., two-thirds, one-half, thirty-nine and ninety-one.
| able-bodied | girlfriend | sandpaper |
| A-frame | goldfish | scarecrow |
| afternoon | grandchildren | scatterbrain |
| afterthought | grandfather | school day |
| airborne | grandmother | school year |
| airline | grandparent | screwdriver |
| airmail | grapefruit | seacoast |
| airplane | grass roots | seafood |
| airport | grasshopper | seagull |
| airtight | gridlock | seaport |
| anchorperson | groundwater | search engine |
| another | grownup | seashell |
| anybody | haircut | seaside |
| anyone | hamburger | seaweed |
| anyplace | handcuff | seesaw |
| anything | handlebar | self-concept |
| anytime | handshake | self-service |
| anyway | hanky-panky | shipwreck |
| anywhere | haystack | shoelace |
| applesauce | headache | shortstop |
| audiotape | headlight | showdown |
| awestruck | headquarters | showoff |
| backache | headset | showroom |
| backboard | heart attack | shrink-wrap |
| backbone | heartwarming | sidewalk |
| backbreaking | heat lightening | silverware |
| backfire | heath care | single-minded |
| background | help desk | sister-in-law |
| backlash | herringbone | skateboard |
| backpack | herself | skyscraper |
| backup | high school | sleeping bag |
| backyard | high-tech | snowball - |
| ballpark | highway | snowfall |
| ballroom | hilltop | snowflake |
| barefoot | himself | snowman |
| baseball | hockey puck | snowplow |
| basketball | ho-hum | snowshoe |
| bathroom | home page | snowstorm |
| bathtub | homemade | softball |
| bedrock | homeowner | somebody |
| bedroom | homesick | someday |
| bedspread | homework | somehow |
| beforehand | hot dog | someone |
| benchmark | however | someplace |
| birdhouse | hush-hush | something |
| birthday | ice cream | Sometimes |
| blackbird | in-depth | somewhat |
| blackboard | indoor | somewhere |
| blowup | infield | spacewalk |
| blueberry | in-law | sports drink |
| blueprint | inside | spotlight |
| bookstore | into | spreadsheet |
| bottled water | itself | springtime |
| boyfriend | jellyfish | square root |
| brainstorm | key pal | starfish |
| breakdown | keyboard | statewide |
| breakfast | kickoff | stepbrother |
| breathtaking | know-how | stepfather |
| briefcase | know-it-all | stepmother |
| broadcast | knucklehead | stepsister |
| brother-in-law | ladybug | storyteller |
| buildup | landlord | straightforward |
| bulldog | leapfrog | strawberry |
| burnout | leftover | strong-arm |
| butterfly | life span | sugarcoat |
| buttermilk | lifeboat | suitcase |
| byproduct | lifeguard | summertime |
| campfire | life-size | sundown |
| cannot | lifestyle | sunflower |
| car pool | lightheaded | sunlight |
| caregiver | lighthouse | sunrise |
| carpool | lightweight | sunset |
| carryover | lipstick | sunshine |
| cash flow | longshoreman | sunstroke |
| catcher’s mitt | loudspeaker | suntan |
| cell phone | makeup | superhighway |
| chalkboard | marketplace | sweatshirt |
| chat room | maybe | sweetheart |
| check-in | meantime | tablecloth |
| checkout | meanwhile | teammate |
| child care | memory stick | tennis court |
| Christmas tree | merry-go-round | textbook |
| churchgoer | miniskirt | Thanksgiving |
| citywide | moonlight | theme park |
| civil rights | mother-in-law | themselves |
| classmate | motorcycle | thirty-nine |
| clean-cut | myself | three-dimensional |
| cleanup | nationwide | thunderstorm |
| clipboard | network | time line |
| close-up | nevertheless | time savor |
| cockpit | new world | timetable |
| colorblind | newscast | tip-off |
| comic strip | newspaper | tiptoe |
| common sense | nightgown | today |
| cookbook | nitty-gritty | toenail |
| co-op | nobody | together |
| cooperative | notebook | toothbrush |
| copperhead | not-for-profit | topsy-turvy |
| copyright | nowhere | toss-up |
| countryside | oatmeal | touchdown |
| course work | off-site | trailblazer |
| cowboy | one-sided | tree house |
| crosswalk | ongoing | tryout |
| crossword puzzle | online | tugboat |
| cupcake | on-site | turnaround |
| database | ourselves | turnpike |
| daydream | outcome | turtleneck |
| daylight | outfield | two-thirds |
| daytime | outfit | undercover |
| desktop | outlaw | underdog |
| dirt bike | outline | underground |
| disc drive | outside | understatement |
| disc jockey | outsource | undertake |
| doorbell | outstanding | uproot |
| doorknob | oven mitt | upset |
| downpour | overalls | upstairs |
| downstairs | overcoat | uptown |
| drawbridge | overexposure | u-turn |
| driveway | overkill | vice president |
| drugstore | overlook | videotape |
| dugout | overpass | vineyard |
| dump truck | pancake | voice mail |
| earring | paper clip | waiting room |
| earthquake | paperback | walking stick |
| earthworm | paperwork | warm-up |
| easygoing | payoff | wastebasket |
| editor-in-chief | payroll | watercolor |
| empty-handed | peanut | waterfall |
| energy bar | peppermint | waterfront |
| everybody | percent | watermelon |
| everyday | photo ID | weatherperson |
| everyone | pinball | web site |
| everything | pinpoint | webpage |
| everywhere | pitch hitter | weekday |
| extracurricular | playground | weekend |
| eyeball | playmate | well-being |
| eyebrow | ponytail | well-to-do |
| eyelid | popcorn | wheelchair |
| fact sheet | post office | whenever |
| father-in-law | postcard | whirlpool |
| fine arts | pothole | whiteboard |
| fingernail | prime minister | wholesale |
| fingerprint | printout | windmill |
| firefighter | proofread | windpipe |
| fireplace | quarterback | windshield |
| fireproof | quicksand | windsurfing |
| firewood | railroad | wingspan |
| fireworks | rainbow | wiretapping |
| flashback | raincoat | without |
| flashlight | rattlesnake | woodland |
| flowchart | rawhide | woodpecker |
| flowerpot | real estate | word processing |
| folklore | redhead | word wall |
| follow-up | redwood | word-of-mouth |
| football | remote control | work boots |
| forever | rock band | workday |
| for-profit | role play | workforce |
| free-for-all | rollerblade | workload |
| freelance | rollout | workplace |
| french fry | roly-poly | workshop |
| freshwater | run-in | workstation |
| front-runner | runner-up | worn-out |
| frostbite | runway | wristwatch |
| fund-raiser | safety glasses | wrongdoing |
| gentleman | sagebrush | x-ray |
| get-together | sailboat | yourself |
| gingerbread | salad dressing |
Closed Words
These words have no spaces. Our list contains hundreds of words, so we organized them in alphabetical order. Click on a letter below to obtain a list of those compound words.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
| N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z |
| A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| afternoon | afterthought | airborne | airline |
| airmail | airplane | airport | airtight |
| anchorperson | another | anybody | anyone |
| anyplace | anything | anytime | awestruck |
| anyway | anywhere | applesauce | audiotape |
| D | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| database | daydream | daylight | daytime |
| desktop | doorbell | doorknob | downpour |
| downstairs | drawbridge | driveway | drugstore |
| dugout | |||
| E | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| earring | earthquake | earthworm | easygoing |
| everybody | everywhere | everyone | everything |
| everyday | extracurricular | eyeball | eyebrow |
| eyelid | everywhere | ||
| F | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| fingernail | fingerprint | firefighter | fireplace |
| fireproof | firewood | fireworks | flashback |
| flashlight | flowchart | flowerpot | folklore |
| football | forever | freelance | freshwater |
| frostbite | |||
| G | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| gentlemen | gingerbread | girlfriend | goldfish |
| grandchildren | grandfather | grandmother | grandparent |
| grapefruit | grasshopper | gridlock | groundwater |
| grownup | |||
| H | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| haircut | hamburger | handcuff | handlebar |
| handshake | haystack | headache | headlight |
| headquarter | headset | heartwarming | herringbone |
| herself | highway | hilltop | himself |
| homemade | homeowner | homesick | homework |
| however | |||
| I | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| iceberg | icebox | icebreaker | inchworm |
| indoor | infield | inside | into |
| itself | innkeeper | ||
| J | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| jackknife | jackpot | jackrabbit | jawbone |
| jaywalk | jellyfish | jigsaw | jumpsuit |
| K | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| keyboard | kickoff | knucklehead | keepsake |
| kettledrum | kickball | keyhole | keynote |
| killjoy | kindhearted | kneecap | knighthood |
| knothole | knucklehead | keystone | |
| L | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| leapfrog | ladybug | landlord | leftover |
| lifeboat | lifeguard | lifestyle | lightheaded |
| lighthouse | lightweight | lipstick | longshoremen |
| loudspeaker | |||
| M | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| makeup | marketplace | maybe | meantime |
| meanwhile | miniskirt | moonlight | motorcycle |
| myself | |||
| N | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| nationwide | network | nevertheless | newscast |
| newspaper | nightgown | nobody | notebook |
| nowhere | |||
| O | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| oatmeal | ongoing | online | ourselves |
| outcome | outfield | outfit | outlaw |
| outline | outside | outsource | outstanding |
| overalls | overcoat | overexposure | overkill |
| overlook | overpass | ||
| P | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| pancake | paperback | paperwork | payoff |
| payroll | peanuts | peppermint | percent |
| pinball | playground | playmate | ponytail |
| popcorn | postcard | pothole | printout |
| proofread | |||
| Q | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| quarrelsome | quarterback | quartermaster | quicksand |
| quicksilver | |||
| R | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| railroad | rainbow | raincoat | rattlesnake |
| rawhide | redhead | redwood | rollerblade |
| rollout | runway | ||
| T | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| tablecloth | teammate | textbook | Thanksgiving |
| themselves | thunderstorm | timetable | tiptoe |
| today | toenail | together | toothbrush |
| touchdown | trailblazer | tryout | tugboat |
| turnaround | turnpike | turtleneck | |
| U | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| undercover | underdog | underground | understatement |
| undertake | upstairs | uptown | uproot |
| upset | |||
| V | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| venturesome | videocassette | videotape | vineyard |
| viewfinder | viewpoint | volleyball | vouchsafe |
| Y | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| yardarm | yardstick | yearbook | yourself |
| Z | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| zookeeper | |||
Open Words
Open compound words have a space between the words. The following are open compound words:
| bottled water | car pool | cash flow | cell membrane |
| cell phone | chat room | child care | Christmas tree |
| civil right | comic strip | common sense | course work |
| crossword puzzle | dirt bike | disk drive | disc jockey |
| dump truck | energy bar | fact sheet | fine art |
| French fry | grass root | health care | heart attack |
| heat lightning | help desk | high school | hockey puck |
| home page | hot dog | ice cream | jigsaw puzzle |
| jungle gym | junk food | jumping jack | key pal |
| killer whale | Labor Day | labor union | laser printer |
| land mine | lance corporal | landing field | landing strip |
| light bulb | life jacket | life raft | life vest |
| life belt | life buoy | Little Dipper | little finger |
| life span | memory stick | new world | oven mitt |
| paper clip | photo ID | pinch hitter | post office |
| paddle wheel | passenger pigeon | past tense | past participle |
| peace pipe | physical education | picture graph | planet kingdom |
| prime minister | radiant energy | radio wave | real time |
| report card | respiratory system | rib cage | right angle |
| right triangle | ring finger | rock dove | rocking chair |
| rocking horse | role model | roller coaster | Roman Catholic |
| root beer | real estate | remote control | rock band |
| role play | safety glasses | salad dressing | school day |
| school year | search engine | sleeping bag | sports drink |
| square root | tennis court | theme park | time line |
| time capsule | tree house | vacuum cleaner | Valentine’s Day |
| vampire bat | vanilla bean | vending machine | vice president |
| video camera | videocassette recorder | video game | videotape recorder |
| virtual reality | vocal chords | voice box | voice mail |
| waiting room | walking stick | web site | word processing |
| word wall | work boots |
Hyphenated Words
The list below excludes spelled out fractions and compound numbers from 21 to 91. Please note you hyphenate all spelled out fractions, e.g., two-thirds, one-half, and compound numbers from 21 to 91, e.g., thirty-nine, ninety-one. The following are hyphenated compound words:
| able-bodied | A-frame | brother-in-law | check-in |
| clean-cut | close-up | co-op | editor-in-chief |
| empty-handed | father-in-law | follow-up | for-profit |
| free-for-all | front-runner | fund-raiser | get-together |
| hanky-panky | high-tech | ho-hum | hush-hush |
| in-depth | in-law | in-line skate | jack-o’-lantern |
| jet-propelled | king-size | know-how | know-it-all |
| life-size | merry-go-round | mother-in-law | nitty-gritty |
| not-for-profit | off-site | one-sided | on-site |
| pitch-black | pitch-dark | play-off | quick-tempered |
| roly-poly | run-in | runner-up | self-concept |
| self-service | shrink-wrap | single-minded | strong-arm |
| three-dimensional | tip-off | topsy-turvy | toss-up |
| two-dimensional | u-turn | warm-up | well-being |
| well-to-do | word-of-mouth | warn-out | X-ray |
 |
 |
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Source: Fry, E.B., Ph.D. & Kress, J.E., Ed.D. (2006). The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists 5th Edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Merriam-Webster Children’s Dictionary, 3rd Edition 2008.
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Are manila paper and class pass a compound noun? I need your help to answer this?thnxs
Best guess – manila paper is a compound word and class pass is not.
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