com·pound
1 (kŏm-pound́, kəm-, kŏḿpound́)
[Alteration of Middle English compounen, from Old French componre, compondre, to put together, from Latin compōnere; see component.]
verb: -pound·ed, -pound·ing, -pounds.
transitive verb
- To combine so as to form a whole; mix.
- To produce or create by combining two or more ingredients or parts: pharmacists compounding prescriptions.
- To settle (a debt, for example) by agreeing on an amount less than the claim; adjust.
- To compute (interest) on the principal and accrued interest.
- To add to; increase: High winds compounded the difficulties of the firefighters.
intransitive verb
- To combine in or form a compound.
- To come to terms; agree.
adjective
- Consisting of two or more substances, ingredients, elements, or parts.
- Botany Composed of more than one part.
noun
- A combination of two or more elements or parts. See synonyms at mixture
- Linguistics A word that consists either of two or more elements that are independent words, such as loudspeaker, baby-sit, or high school, or of specially modified combining forms of words, such as Greek philosophia, from philo-, “loving,” and sophia, “wisdom.”
- Chemistry A pure, macroscopically homogeneous substance consisting of atoms or ions of two or more different elements in definite proportions that cannot be separated by physical means. A compound usually has properties unlike those of its constituent elements.
- Botany
- A leaf whose blade is divided into two or more distinct leaflets.
- A pistil composed of two or more united carpels.
derivatives
- com·pound́a·ble
- adjective
- com·pound́er
- noun
com·pound
2 (kŏḿpound́)
[Alteration of Malay kampong, village.]
noun
- A building or buildings, especially a residence or group of residences, set off and enclosed by a barrier.
- An enclosed area used for confining prisoners of war.
