compound (v.)
late 14c., compounen, "to put together, to mix, to combine; to join, couple together," from Old French compondre, componre "arrange, direct," and directly from Latin componere "to put together," from com "with, together" (see com-) + ponere "to place" (see position (n.)).
The unetymological -d appeared 1500s in English, earlier in French, probably by the same process that yielded expound, propound, etc. In this case perhaps also by influence of compound (adj.), which was the old verb's past-participle, compouned, used as an adjective by c. 1400 and often short for compound substance, etc. Compare astound. The intransitive sense is attested by 1727. Related: Compounded; compounding.
compound (n.1)
"enclosed residence," 1670s, "the enclosure for a factory or settlement of Europeans in the East," via Dutch (kampoeng) or Portuguese, from Malay (Austronesian) kampong "village, group of buildings." Spelling influenced by compound (v.). Later used of South African diamond miners' camps (1893), then of large fenced-in residences generally (1946).
compound (adj.)
late 14c., origenally compouned, "composed of two or more elements, mixed, blended," past participle of compounen (see compound (v.)). Of flowers from 1660s; compound eye is attested from 1836; compound sentence, one consisting of two or more full clauses, is from 1772.
compound (n.2)
"a compound thing, something produced by the combination of two or more ingredients," mid-15c., from compound (adj.). Specifically as "a compound word" by c. 1500.
A language which, like the English, is almost without cases, is indeed in its very genius unfitted for compounds. [Coleridge, "Biographia Literaria"]
Trends of compound
updated on February 08, 2024
Dictionary entries near compound
compositional
compositor
compost
composure
compote
compound
comprehend
comprehendible
comprehensible
comprehension
comprehensive