COMPOUND

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does compound mean? 

• COMPOUND (noun)
  The noun COMPOUND has 3 senses:

1. a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts

2. (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight

3. an enclosure of residences and other building (especially in the Orient)

  Familiarity information: COMPOUND used as a noun is uncommon.

• COMPOUND (adjective)
  The adjective COMPOUND has 3 senses:

1. composed of more than one part

2. consisting of two or more substances or ingredients or elements or parts

3. composed of many distinct individuals united to form a whole or colony

  Familiarity information: COMPOUND used as an adjective is uncommon.

• COMPOUND (verb)
  The verb COMPOUND has 5 senses:

1. make more intense, stronger, or more marked

2. put or add together

3. calculate principal and interest

4. create by mixing or combining

5. combine so as to form a whole; mix

  Familiarity information: COMPOUND used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMPOUND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("compound" is a kind of...):

whole (all of something including all its component elements or parts)

Derivation:

compound (put or add together)

compound (combine so as to form a whole; mix)

compound (create by mixing or combining)

compound (consisting of two or more substances or ingredients or elements or parts)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

chemical compound; compound

Hypernyms ("compound" is a kind of...):

chemical; chemical substance (material produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules)

Domain category:

chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "compound"):

repellant; repellent (a compound with which fabrics are treated to repel water)

preservative (a chemical compound that is added to protect against decay or decomposition)

polymer (a naturally occurring or synthetic compound consisting of large molecules made up of a linked series of repeated simple monomers)

oxide (any compound of oxygen with another element or a radical)

nitride (a compound containing nitrogen and a more electropositive element (such as phosphorus or a metal))

nitrogen mustard (a toxic compound resembling mustard gas in structure; important in cancer treatment)

menthol (a crystalline compound that has the cool and minty taste and odor that occurs naturally in peppermint oil; used as a flavoring and in medicine to relieve itching, pain, and nasal congestion)

hydrated oxide; hydroxide (a compound of an oxide with water)

isomer (a compound that exists in forms having different arrangements of atoms but the same molecular weight)

iodocompound (a compound containing the covalent iodine radical)

benzoquinone; quinone (any of a class of aromatic yellow compounds including several that are biologically important as coenzymes or acceptors or vitamins; used in making dyes)

repellant; repellent (a chemical substance that repels animals)

inorganic compound (any compound that does not contain carbon)

incense (a substance that produces a fragrant odor when burned)

hydroxide (a chemical compound containing the hydroxyl group)

hydrate (any compound that contains water of crystallization)

synthetic; synthetic substance (a compound made artificially by chemical reactions)

benzofuran; coumarone; cumarone (a colorless oily compound extracted from coal tar and used in manufacturing synthetic resins)

goitrogen (any substance (such as thiouracil) that induces the formation of a goiter)

exotherm (a compound that gives off heat during its formation and absorbs heat during its decomposition)

sternutator; sternutatory (a chemical substance that causes sneezing and coughing and crying)

pregnanediol (a compound found in women's urine during certain phases of the menstrual cycle and in the urine of pregnant women)

enamel (a colored glassy compound (opaque or partially opaque) that is fused to the surface of metal or glass or pottery for decoration or protection)

U308; yellowcake (an impure mixture of uranium oxides obtained during the processing of uranium ore)

triazine (any of three isomeric compounds having three carbon and three nitrogen atoms in a six-membered ring)

tetrachloride (any compound that contains four chlorine atoms per molecule)

tenderiser; tenderizer (a substance (as the plant enzyme papain) applied to meat to make it tender)

telluride (any binary compound of tellurium with other more electropositive elements)

sulfide; sulphide (a compound of sulphur and some other element that is more electropositive)

stripper (a chemical compound used to remove paint or varnish)

acceptor ((chemistry) in the formation of a coordinate bond it is the compound to which electrons are donated)

solvate (a compound formed by solvation (the combination of solvent molecules with molecules or ions of the solute))

siloxane (any of a large class of compounds that have alternate silicon and oxygen atoms)

silicide (any of various compounds of silicon with a more electropositive element or radical)

heterocycle; heterocyclic; heterocyclic compound (a compound containing a heterocyclic ring)

chloride (any compound containing a chlorine atom)

nitrate (any compound containing the nitrate group (such as a salt or ester of nitric acid))

caustic (any chemical substance that burns or destroys living tissue)

salt (a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal))

binary compound (chemical compound composed of only two elements)

azide (a chemical compound containing the azido group combined with an element or radical)

anhydride (a compound formed from one or more other compounds in a reaction resulting in removal of water)

ammine (a complex inorganic compound that contains ammonia molecules)

organic compound (any compound of carbon and another element or a radical)

ozonide (any of a class of unstable chemical compounds resulting from the addition of ozone to a double bond in an unsaturated compound)

monomer (a simple compound whose molecules can join together to form polymers)

manganese tetroxide (an oxide of manganese found naturally as hausmannite)

chromogen (a compound that can be converted to a pigment)

taurine (a colorless crystalline substance obtained from the bile of mammals)

formulation; preparation (a substance prepared according to a formula)

alkali; base (any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water)

anionic compound (a compound characterized by an active anion)

hydrogen cyanide (a highly poisonous gas or volatile liquid that smells like bitter almonds; becomes a gas at around 90 degree Fahrenheit and is most dangerous when inhaled; the anhydride of hydrocyanic acid; used in manufacturing)

arsenide (a compound of arsenic with a more positive element)

acid (any of various water-soluble compounds having a sour taste and capable of turning litmus red and reacting with a base to form a salt)

antiknock (any of various compounds that are added to gasoline to reduce engine knocking)

adduct (a compound formed by an addition reaction)

vanillin (a crystalline compound found in vanilla beans and some balsam resins; used in perfumes and flavorings)

buffer ((chemistry) an ionic compound that resists changes in its pH)

enantiomer; enantiomorph (either one of a pair of compounds (crystals or molecules) that are mirror images on each other but are not identical)

flavone (a colorless crystalline compound that is part of a number of white or yellow plant pigments)

fixer; fixing agent (a chemical compound that sets or fixes something (as a dye or a photographic image))

dimer (a compound whose molecules are composed of two identical monomers)

derivative (a compound obtained from, or regarded as derived from, another compound)

depilatory (a chemical (usually a sulfide) used to remove hair or wool or bristles from hides)

defoliant (a chemical that is sprayed on plants and causes their leaves to fall off)

aluminate (a compound of alumina and a metallic oxide)

corrosive (a substance having the tendency to cause corrosion (such a strong acids or alkali))

complex; coordination compound (a compound described in terms of the central atom to which other atoms are bound or coordinated)

chloropicrin; nitrochloroform (a heavy colorless insoluble liquid compound that causes tears and vomiting; used as a pesticide and as tear gas)

cementite; iron carbide (a chemical compound that is a constituent of steel and cast iron; very hard and brittle)

cofactor (a substance (as a coenzyme) that must join with another to produce a given result)

carbon disulfide (a toxic colorless flammable liquid (CS2); used in the manufacture of rayon and cellophane and carbon tetrachloride and as a solvent for rubber)

carbonyl (a compound containing metal combined with carbon monoxide)

calcium-cyanamide; cyanamide (a compound used as a fertilizer and as a source of nitrogen compounds)

bitter principle (any one of several hundred compounds having a bitter taste; not admitting of chemical classification)

allomorph (any of several different crystalline forms of the same chemical compound)

Derivation:

compound (create by mixing or combining)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An enclosure of residences and other building (especially in the Orient)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("compound" is a kind of...):

enclosure (a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose)

• COMPOUND (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Composed of more than one part

Context example:

compound flower heads

Similar:

bilobate; bilobated; bilobed (having two lobes)

binate (growing in two parts or in pairs)

bipartite (divided into two portions almost to the base)

bipinnate (of a leaf shape; having doubly pinnate leaflets (as ferns))

bipinnatifid (pinnatifid with the segments also pinnatifid)

cleft; dissected (having one or more indentations reaching nearly to the midrib)

conjugate ((of a pinnate leaflet) having only one pair of leaflets)

decompound (of a compound leaf; consisting of divisions that are themselves compound)

abruptly-pinnate; even-pinnate; paripinnate ((of a leaf shape) pinnate with a pair of leaflets at the apex)

incised (sharply and deeply indented)

lobate; lobed (having deeply indented margins but with lobes not entirely separate from each other)

imparipinnate; odd-pinnate ((a leaf shape) pinnate with a single leaflet at the apex)

palm-shaped; palmate (of a leaf shape; having leaflets or lobes radiating from a common point)

palmatifid (of a leaf shape; palmately cleft rather than lobed)

parted (having a margin incised almost to the base so as to create distinct divisions or lobes)

pedate (of a leaf shape; having radiating lobes, each deeply cleft or divided)

pinnate; pinnated ((of a leaf shape) featherlike; having leaflets on each side of a common axis)

pinnatifid ((of a leaf shape) cleft nearly to the midrib in broad divisions not separated into distinct leaflets)

pinnatisect ((of a leaf shape) cleft nearly to the midrib in narrow divisions not separated into distinct leaflets)

quinquefoliate ((of a leaf shape) having five leaflets)

radiate (having rays or ray-like parts as in the flower heads of daisies)

ternate ((of a leaf shape) consisting of three leaflets or sections)

trifoliate; trifoliated; trifoliolate ((of a leaf shape) having three leaflets)

three-lobed; trilobate; trilobated; trilobed ((of a leaf shape) divided into three lobes)

tripinnate; tripinnated ((of a leaf shape) thrice pinnate)

tripinnatifid ((of a leaf shape) bipinnatifid with segments pinnatifid)

Also:

complex (complicated in structure; consisting of interconnected parts)

smooth (of the margin of a leaf shape; not broken up into teeth)

rough (of the margin of a leaf shape; having the edge cut or fringed or scalloped)

Domain category:

botany; phytology (the branch of biology that studies plants)

Antonym:

simple ((botany) of leaf shapes; of leaves having no divisions or subdivisions)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Consisting of two or more substances or ingredients or elements or parts

Context example:

a blackberry is a compound fruit

Similar:

complex (complicated in structure; consisting of interconnected parts)

Derivation:

compound (a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Composed of many distinct individuals united to form a whole or colony

Synonyms:

colonial; compound

Context example:

coral is a colonial organism

Similar:

complex (complicated in structure; consisting of interconnected parts)

Domain category:

zoological science; zoology (the branch of biology that studies animals)

• COMPOUND (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make more intense, stronger, or more marked

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

compound; deepen; heighten; intensify

Context example:

This event only deepened my convictions

Hypernyms (to "compound" is one way to...):

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Cause:

deepen; intensify (become more intense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "compound"):

heat up; hot up; screw up (make more intense)

fan (make (an emotion) fiercer)

enhance; heighten; raise (increase)

amplify (increase the volume of)

sharpen (make crisp or more crisp and precise)

heighten; sharpen (make (one's senses) more acute)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put or add together

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

combine; compound

Context example:

combine resources

Hypernyms (to "compound" is one way to...):

add (make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "compound"):

mix (combine (electronic signals))

synthesise; synthesize (combine so as to form a more complex, product)

recombine (to combine or put together again)

totalise; totalize (make into a total)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

compound (a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts)

compounding (the act of combining things to form a new whole)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Calculate principal and interest

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "compound" is one way to...):

account; calculate (keep an account of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Create by mixing or combining

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "compound" is one way to...):

assemble; piece; put together; set up; tack; tack together (create by putting components or members together)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

compound (a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts)

compound ((chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight)

compounding (the act of combining things to form a new whole)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Combine so as to form a whole; mix

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

combine; compound

Context example:

compound the ingredients

Hypernyms (to "compound" is one way to...):

amalgamate; commix; mingle; mix; unify (to bring or combine together or with something else)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "compound"):

incorporate; integrate (make into a whole or make part of a whole)

heterodyne (combine (a radio frequency wave) with a locally generated wave of a different frequency so as to produce a new frequency equal to the sum or the difference between the two)

sulfurette; sulphurette (combine with sulfur)

carburet (combine with carbon)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

compound (a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts)

compounding (the act of combining things to form a new whole)

 Context examples 

A heterocyclic organic compound with anticonvulsant property.

(Mephenytoin, NCI Thesaurus)

An elaboration of the known steps and interactions for the metabolism of a compound.

(Metabolic Pathway, NCI Thesaurus)

When titania is exposed to sunlight, it degrades harmful nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds present at the surface, oxidising them into inert or harmless products.

(Smog-eating graphene composite reduces atmospheric pollution, University of Cambridge)

An organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or mint oils with flavoring and local anesthetic properties.

(Menthol, NCI Thesaurus)

We have developed small molecule compounds that act as an ‘inhibitor’, and by inhibiting the plasmepsin V enzyme in gametocytes, we can block them from transmitting to mosquitoes.

(New way to stop falciparum malaria transmission, SciDev.Net)

A menaquinone compound and form of vitamin K2 with potential antineoplastic activity.

(Menatetrenone, NCI Thesaurus)

Their health effects vary, but some compounds have been linked to reproductive disorders and a higher risk of birth defects.

(Persistent organic pollutants in maternal blood linked to smaller fetal size, National Institutes of Health)

The metal ion can be an isolated ion or coordinated with a nonprotein organic compound, such as the porphyrin moiety found in hemoproteins.

(Metalloprotein, NCI Thesaurus)

A heterocyclic organic compound with antibiotic activity.

(Methenamine, NCI Thesaurus)

An allyl-S-compound with the structure C=CCS(=O)SCC=C.

(Allicin, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)