compound
/ˈkɒmpaʊnd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɑːmpaʊnd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkäm-ˌpau̇nd/ (ame, mw) · /kəmˈpaʊnd/ (bre, ipa) · /kəmˈpaʊnd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkɒm.paʊnd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɑːm.paʊnd/ (ame, ipa)
compound — noun
- compoundsingular
- compoundsplural
1. a material created when atoms from several different chemical elements bond toge
a material created when atoms from several different chemical elements bond together in a fixed ratio by weight
Caio's science class studied how sodium and chlorine join to form the compound known as table salt.
collocation: form a compound
Water is a simple compound made of two hydrogen atoms linked to one oxygen atom.
The lab technician warned everyone not to mix those two compounds without wearing safety goggles.
Eshe identified the unknown compound by checking its melting point in the lab.
- element
a pure substance made of only one type of atom, not chemically combined
用法筆記
Common in chemistry contexts. Often used with the verb 'form': 'Sodium and chlorine form a compound.'
常見錯誤
2. something created by combining several separate elements, such as ingredients, q
something created by combining several separate elements, such as ingredients, qualities, or components
The sauce is a delicious compound of tomatoes, fresh herbs, and olive oil.
compound of [ingredient 1] + [ingredient 2] + [ingredient 3]
Hoa's breathing problems were caused by a compound of dust, smoke, and pollen in the air.
The new flooring material is a compound of recycled plastic and natural wood fibres.
Crime in that region was a compound of poverty, unemployment, and poor education.
The team's success was a compound of hard work, talent, and good timing.
- combination
more general; does not imply the parts blend into a single thing
- mixture
parts are physically combined but not chemically bonded
- blend
suggests the parts are smoothly mixed, often of liquids or flavours
- composite
emphasises that the parts remain separately identifiable
常見錯誤
3. a term formed by joining several existing words together, which can be written a
a term formed by joining several existing words together, which can be written as a single unit, separate items, or linked by hyphens
Kian learned that 'mother-in-law' is a hyphenated compound in English grammar.
hyphenated compound
The word 'bus stop' is a compound noun written as two separate words.
German is known for its long compound words such as 'Fernsehgerät'.
The compound 'greenhouse' has a meaning that differs from 'green' plus 'house'.
English learners often struggle to know whether a compound should be written as one word or two.
- portmanteau
blends parts of two words, like 'brunch' from 'breakfast' + 'lunch'; narrower than compound
- derivative
formed by adding prefixes or suffixes, not by joining whole words
用法筆記
The spelling of compound words varies: closed (bedroom), open (bus stop), or hyphenated (mother-in-law). Learner dictionaries mark this in each entry.
常見錯誤
4. a walled or fenced piece of land containing several buildings, often forming a s
a walled or fenced piece of land containing several buildings, often forming a single secure site
The embassy compound was surrounded by tall concrete walls and security cameras.
embassy compound with security walls
The Watanabe family lived inside a large compound with several smaller houses and a garden.
Journalists waited outside the military compound for news of the peace talks.
Gita's boarding school was in a compound shared with a hospital and a library.
The temple compound includes three prayer halls and a bell tower.
用法筆記
Often used for embassies, military bases, prisons, temples, schools, or family estates. Suggests some level of security or separation from the outside.
常見錯誤
compound — verb
- compoundpresent simple I / you / we / they
- compounds3rd person singular
- compounding-ing form
- compoundedpast simple
1. to cause an existing difficulty or negative situation to become more serious or
to cause an existing difficulty or negative situation to become more serious or severe
The drought was compounded by several months of record-high temperatures.
passive: be compounded by [cause]
Christopher's late arrival compounded the tension that had already built up in the meeting room.
Jude's broken ankle compounded his team's difficulty in winning the championship match.
Poor road conditions compounded the challenge of delivering food supplies to the mountain village.
The company's financial troubles were compounded when the factory flooded last winter.
- aggravate
more formal; suggests making something bad even worse
- exacerbate
formal; often used in medical or political contexts
- intensify
broader; can apply to both positive and negative situations
文法句型
be compounded by + noun phrase
compound + noun phrase (a problem / a situation / difficulty)
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice: 'X is compounded by Y.' The subject is typically an already-negative situation. The object that compounds it is usually another problem or event.
常見錯誤
2. to mix or combine two or more substances, ingredients, or elements to create som
to mix or combine two or more substances, ingredients, or elements to create something new
The chemist carefully compounded the two liquids in a clean glass beaker.
compound [substance 1] + [substance 2] in [container]
Pharmacists are trained to compound medicines by weighing and mixing precise amounts of ingredients.
Gabriel compounded a special healing cream using beeswax, coconut oil, and herbal extracts.
The artist's paint is compounded from natural pigments and linseed oil.
- separate
to take apart what was combined
文法句型
compound + noun phrase (ingredients / substances)
用法筆記
More formal than 'mix' or 'combine'. Often used in professional settings (pharmacy, chemistry, manufacturing). Not common in everyday speech.
compound — adjective
- compoundpositive
- more compoundcomparative
- most compoundsuperlative
1. formed by joining several distinct pieces or elements into a single whole
formed by joining several distinct pieces or elements into a single whole
The bridge uses a compound structure of steel beams reinforced with concrete.
compound structure: steel + concrete
A compound sentence joins two complete ideas using a connecting word like 'and' or 'but'.
The fly's compound eye is made of thousands of tiny six-sided lenses.
Amelia bought a sofa with a compound surface made of leather and fabric.
The engine uses a compound system that combines electric power with a petrol motor.
- simple
made of a single part or element
常見錯誤
2. describing a method of earning interest on savings or paying interest on a loan,
describing a method of earning interest on savings or paying interest on a loan, where any interest already earned also starts earning further interest in later periods
With compound interest, the money in a savings account grows faster every year.
collocation: compound interest
Élise learned how compound interest helps an investment grow over twenty years.
Brooke compared the compound interest offered by three different bank accounts.
The bank's website has a calculator that shows how compound interest adds up over time.
A loan with compound interest can cost much more than one with simple interest.
- simple
simple interest is calculated only on the original amount, not on accumulated interest
文法句型
compound interest
compound + noun (interest / rate)
用法筆記
Used only before the nouns 'interest' or 'rate' in everyday finance contexts. The opposite is 'simple interest' (interest paid only on the original sum).