compound

/ˈkɑmpaʊnd//ˈkɒmpaʊnd/

compound noun: an enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined. Also the ellipsis of compound exercise.

Noun (1)

compound (plural compounds)

An enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined.

Synonyms:

gaol, jail, pen, pound, prison
An enclosure for secure storage.
- A separate building on the west side will house a standby powerhouse and a workshop, and there will be an unroofed compound for compressed air cylinders and water tanks.1960 May, “New Signalbox at Manchester Victoria”, in Railway Magazine, page 310
- A total of 75 cycle spaces are being installed at three Greater Anglia stations - [...]. And a secure compound for bicycles is being built at Cambridge North.2020 December 2, “Network News: News in brief: More cycle spaces”, in Rail, page 27
A group of buildings situated close together, e.g. for a school or block of offices.
- Shepard: What kind of proof do you have that the major is dangerous?
  Transmission: Three days ago, we sent two Alliance representatives to meet with him at his compound. They have disappeared. We believe Kyle and his followers killed them.
  Transmission: That compound is a cult, Shepard. They call...2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Normandy SR-1
- Some 20 supporters managed to get inside the court compounds. About half an hour after the verdict was delivered, they gathered near the Constitutional Court entrance and shouted: "On March 24, use your pen to oust the dictator."2019 March 7, Yuda Masayuki, “Thai court: pro-Thaksin party must disband for nominating princess”, in Nikkei Asian Review, Nikkei Inc, retrieved 07 Mar 2019
(Philippines, broadly) A group of buildings where members of the same extended family live together.

Adjective

compound (not comparable)

Composed of elements; not simple.
- a compound word
- Compound substances are made up of two or more simple substances.1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […]...
Synonyms:

composite

Antonyms:

simple
Dealing with numbers of various denominations of quantity, or with processes more complex than the simple process.
- compound addition
- compound proportion
An octave higher than originally (i.e. a compound major second is equivalent to a major ninth).

Noun (2)

compound (plural compounds)

Anything made by combining several things.

Synonyms:

amalgam, blend, combination, composite, mix, mixture
A substance formed by chemical bonding of two or more elements in definite proportions by weight.
(dated) A substance made from any combination of ingredients.
- A compound of spurge, cardamom, cinnamon of Mecca, pellitory, ginger, nettle seed is an Arab specific for sexual weakness.1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 228
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.
A lexeme that consists of more than one stem.
- Compositionally there is no great distinction between cell wall and cell surface, both are relatively transparent compounds, but both parts of the cell are of high significance in Biology due to their central role in cell functioning.2018, Clarence Green, James Lambert, “Position vectors, homologous chromosomes and gamma rays: Promoting disciplinary literacy through Secondary Phrase Lists”, in English for Specific Purposes, →DOI...
Synonyms:

compound word
A lexeme that consists of more than one stem or affix, e.g. "bookshop", "high school" or "non-standard".
- In the majority of the compounds of non- the hyphen is usually retained; but it is commonly omitted in the case of a few, such as nonconformist, nonentity, nonsense, in which the etymology has been to some extent lost sight of.1989, OED2
A compound locomotive, a steam locomotive with both high-pressure and low-pressure cylinders.
- From a dead stand, with regulator full open and the lever at about 50 per cent we got up to about 60 m.p.h. by the top of the bank. The big compound was making plenty of noise - but what musical and wonderful noise!1961 March, ""Balmore"", “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 148

Verb

compound (third-person singular simple present compounds, present participle compounding, simple past and past participle compounded)

(transitive) To form (a resulting mixture) by combining different elements, ingredients, or parts; to mingle with something else.
- to compound a medicine
- Only compound me with forgotten dust.c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […]...
Synonyms:

admix, amalgamate, bemingle, blend, combine, commingle, intermingle, intermix, involve, mang
(transitive) To settle by agreeing on less than the claim, or on different terms than those stipulated.
- to compound a debt
Synonyms:

settle
(transitive) To settle amicably; to adjust by agreement.
- I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
- No! no—if Charles has done nothing false or mean, I shall compound for his extravagance1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, II.iii
Synonyms:

compromise
(intransitive) To come to terms of agreement; to settle by a compromise.
- to compound with someone / for something
- Here's a fellow will help you to-morrow; […] compound with him by the year.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
Synonyms:

agree, accord, meet, coexist, cohere, coincide, comport, comprobate, concur, consent
(obsolete, transitive) To compose; to constitute.
- his pomp and all what state compoundsc. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
Synonyms:

compose, comprise, constitute, form, indite, make up, represent, upmake
(intransitive) To increase in value with interest, where the interest is earned on both the principal sum and prior earned interest.
(transitive) To worsen a situation.
- […] This latest example of nationalistic self-interest compounded anger across the EU over Trump’s travel ban, imposed last month without consultation or scientific justification.2020 April 12, Simon Tisdall, “US's global reputation hits rock-bottom over Trump's coronavirus response”, in The Guardian
Synonyms:

add fuel to the fire, add insult to injury, cap it all off, fan the flames, make matters worse, throw gasoline on the fire, With malice, hit someone when they are down, kick a dog when it's down, kick someone when they are down
(intransitive) Of a horse: to fail to maintain speed.
- At the hill, the Warrior must have been at least ten lengths in front of Wild Dayrell; but he compounded about 200 yards on the T. Y. C. side of the Red House.1855, The Sporting Review, volume 34, page 240

Also used as

compound is also the ellipsis of compound exercise.

compound meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

compound in Hindi

enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined: परिसर parisar, बाड़ा bāṛā
group of buildings for the same purpose: परिसर parisar
composed of elements: मिश्रण miśraṇ
anything made by combining several things: मिश्रण miśraṇ

compound in Tamil

composed of elements: கூட்டு kūṭṭu
anything made by combining several things: கலவை kalavai
chemistry: substance made by chemical combination of elements: கலவை kalavai
to put together: கல kala

compound in Marathi

संयुग, कंपाऊंड

compound in Urdu

مرکب, کمپاؤنڈ

More languagesFewer languages

compound in Bengali: যুক্ত jukto
compound in Telugu: సమ్మేళనం
compound in Malayalam: സംയുക്തം saṁyuktaṁ
compound in Kannada: ಕಾಂಪೌಂಡ್
compound in Nepali: कम्पाउन्ड, यौगिक, कम्पाउण्ड
compound in Tagalog: langkapin, lambalan, linambal, balangkap
compound in Arabic: مُرَكَّب murakkab
compound in Malay: sebatian
compound in Indonesian: senyawa, majemuk
compound in Persian: آمیخته âmixta, همساخته hamsâxta, مرکب
compound in Thai: สารประกอบ sǎan-bprà-gɔ̀ɔp
compound in Vietnamese: hợp chất

Examples of compound in a sentence

We have the power of altering[…] and compounding those images[…] into all the varieties of picture.1712 July 1 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “FRIDAY, June 21, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 411...
incapacitating him from successfully compounding a tale of this sort1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […]...
In eighteenth century France, many aphrodisiac dishes and pastries were compounded with chocolate.1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 62:
They were at last glad to compound for his bare commitment to the Tower.1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in...

All 40 example sentences with compound

Synonyms of compound

30 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

simple

All synonyms and antonyms of compound

Forms of compound

Noun
plural	compounds
Verb
third-person singular present	compounds
present participle	compounding
past participle	compounded
past	compounded

Past tense of compound: compounded

Plural of compound: compounds

Origin of compound

Possibly from Malay kampong, kampung (“group of buildings, village”), via Dutch or Portuguese, altered under the influence of Etymology 2. Doublet of kampung.

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

Words formed from compound

Phrases with compound

66 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with compound

45 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about compound

What does compound mean?: Compound means an enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined.
What is compound in Hindi?: Compound in Hindi is परिसर (parisar), बाड़ा (bāṛā), मिश्रण (miśraṇ). See Compound meaning in Hindi.
How do you use compound in a sentence?: We have the power of altering[…] and compounding those images[…] into all the varieties of picture.
What part of speech is compound?: Compound can be a noun, an adjective or a verb.
How do you pronounce compound?: Compound is pronounced /ˈkɒmpaʊnd/ (UK).
What is the plural of compound?: The plural of compound is compounds.

Words near compound in the dictionary

Adapted from Wiktionary: compound (page history and authors); compound (Marathi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); compound (Urdu, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); compound (Telugu, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); compound (Kannada, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); compound (Nepali, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-compound (noun).wav, En-us-compound.ogg.

Cite this entry: “compound.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/compound. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.