Etymology 1
Possibly from Malay kampong, kampung (group of buildings, village), via Dutch or Portuguese, altered under the influence of Etymology 2.
Noun
compound (plural compounds)
- An enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined.
- An enclosure for secure storage.
- A group of buildings situated close together, such as for a school or block of offices.
Etymology 2
From Middle English compounen, from Middle French componre, compondre (to put together), from Latin componō, from Latin com- (together) + ponō (to put).
Adjective
compound (not comparable)
- Composed of elements; not simple.
- Pinwheel is a compound word derived from pin and wheel.
- (mathematics) Dealing with numbers of various denominations of quantity, or with processes more complex than the simple process.
- Compound addition seemed to confuse the students whenever they first encountered it.
- (music) An octave higher than originally (i.e. a compound major second is equivalent to a major ninth).
Derived terms
- compound animal
- compound duple
- compound engine
- compound interest
- compound interval
- compound key
- compound labour
- compound leaf
- compoundly
- compound machine
- compound meter
- compound microscope
- compound sentence
- compound symbol
- compound time
Noun
compound (plural compounds)
- Anything made by combining several things.
- (chemistry) A substance formed by chemical bonding of two or more elements in definite proportions by weight.
- (linguistics) A lexeme that consists of more than one stem; a compound word.
- (law) A legal procedure whereby a criminal or delinquent avoids prosecution in a court in exchange for his payment to the authorities of a financial penalty or fine.
- (railway transport) A compound locomotive, a steam locomotive with both high-pressure and low-pressure cylinders.
- Short for compound exercise; exercise that works several muscle groups at the same time.
Derived terms
- aromatic compound
- binary compound
- chemical compound
- complex compound
- inorganic compound
- ionic compound
- molecular compound
- organic compound
- quaternary compound
- solid compound
- ternary compound
- thermal compound
Verb
compound (third-person singular simple present compounds, present participle compounding, simple past and past participle compounded)
- To form (a resulting mixture) by combining different elements, ingredients, or parts; to mingle with something else.
- (law) To settle by agreeing on less than the claim, or on different terms than those stipulated.
- We needed to compound the debt somehow, but since I didn't have the money, I gave him a box of old toys I didn't need anymore.
- To settle amicably; to adjust by agreement; to come to a compromise.
- To come to terms of agreement; to settle by a compromise.
- (finance) To increase in value with interest, where the interest is earned on both the principal sum and prior earned interest.
- (horse racing) Of a horse: to fail to maintain speed.
Derived terms
- compoundable
- compounder
Credits
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