compound

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a substance made by combining two or more elements or ingredients

   Water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.

2. 2
   adj

   made up of two or more parts

   "Bookcase" is a compound word made from "book" and "case".

3. 3
   noun

   an area with a group of buildings inside a fence or wall

   The family lived in a guarded compound outside the city.

4. 4
   verb

   to make a problem or bad situation worse

   Heavy rain compounded the difficulties faced by the rescue team.

From Middle English compounen, from Middle French componre, compondre (“to put together”), from Latin componō, from Latin com- (“together”) + ponō (“to put”).

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