compound
pronunciation
How to pronounce compound in British English:
UK [ˈkɒmpaʊnd]
How to pronounce compound in American English:
US [ ˈkɑːmpaʊnd]
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- Noun:
- (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight
- a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts
- an enclosure of residences and other building (especially in the Orient)
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- Verb:
- make more intense, stronger, or more marked
- put or add together
- calculate principal and interest
- create by mixing or combining
- combine so as to form a whole; mix
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- Adjective:
- of leaf shapes; of leaves composed of several similar parts or lobes
- consisting of two or more substances or ingredients or elements or parts
- composed of many distinct individuals united to form a whole or colony
Word Origin
- compound
- compound: There are two distinct words compound in English. The one meaning ‘combine’ [14] comes ultimately from Latin compōnere ‘put together’. Old French took two verbs from this: the perfect stem composproduced composer (whence English compose) while the infinitive became compondre, source of English compound. Its original Middle English form was compoune; the final d came from the adjectival use of the past participle compouned. Compound ‘enclosure’ [17] is of Eastern origin: it comes from Malay kampong ‘group of buildings, village’, and was borrowed via Portuguese campon or Dutch campoeng.The English form was no doubt remodelled on the basis of compound ‘combine’.=> compose, composite, position
- compound (v.)
- "to put together," late 14c., compounen "to mix, combine," from Old French compondre, componre "arrange, direct," from Latin componere "to put together" (see composite). The -d appeared 1500s in English on model of expound, etc. Related: Compounded; compounding.
- compound (n.2)
- "a compound thing," mid-15c., from compound (adj.).
- compound (n.1)
- 1670s, via Dutch (kampoeng) or Portuguese, from Malay kampong "village, group of buildings." Spelling influenced by compound (v.). Originally, "the enclosure for a factory or settlement of Europeans in the East," later used of South African diamond miners' camps (1893), then of large fenced-in spaces generally (1946).
- compound (adj.)
- late 14c., originally compouned, past participle of compounen (see compound (v.)). Compound eye is attested from 1836; compound sentence is from 1772.
Example
- 1. Does the new vaccine contain the mercury compound thimerosal ?
- 2. The scientists gave influenza-infected rodents a compound that prods the s1p1 receptor .
- 3. All but the simplest innovation initiatives are really compound experiments .
- 4. Rebel fighters carry out stuff in the main muammar gaddafi compound .
- 5. Vlasopoulos is not exactly keen to explain how his experimental compound works .