Compound words are a fascinating aspect of the English language, composed of two or more words combined to create a new word. From everyday expressions like “breakfast” and “bookcase” to more obscure terms like “cyberpunk” and “photobomb,” compound words are ubiquitous in the English language.
Subscribe to our mailing list to receive FREE exclusive content and offers!
Whether you’re a native speaker looking to expand your vocabulary or a non-native speaker seeking to improve your English, this comprehensive list of compound words will pique your interest and enhance your language skills.
Afternoon
Airfare
Airframe
Airline
Airplane
Airport
Airship
Anybody
Archway
Armchair
Arrowhead
Aspirin
Autopilot
Babydoll
Babysitter
Background
Backpack
Backpacker
Backseat
Bagpipe
Ballpark
Bandstand
Barefoot
Barnyard
Baseball
Bathroom
Bathtub
Beachcomber
Beachfront
Beachside
Bedspread
Bedtime
Bellboy
Bellybutton
Birdhouse
Birthplace
Blackbird
Blackboard
Blackout
Blacksmith
Bloodhound
Bloodstream
Blowtorch
Blueberry
Blueprint
Boardwalk
Bodyguard
Bookcase
Bookend
Bookkeeper
Bookmark
Bookshelf
Bookstore
Bootlace
Bottlecap
Brainstorm
Breakdown
Breakwater
Bridegroom
Bridesmaid
Brushfire
Buckshot
Bumblebee
Butterfly
Campfire
Campground
Campsite
Candlelight
Candlestick
Candybar
Canteen
Cardboard
Caregiver
Careless
Carpool
Cartwheel
Carwash
Cashier
Catfish
Cattleman
Catwalk
Cellphone
Centipede
Chairlift
Checkbook
Cheeseburger
Cheesecake
Childhood
Childproof
Chinatown
Christmas
Churchyard
Cityscape
Citywide
Classroom
Cliffhanger
Clockwise
Coalmine
Coffeehouse
Coffeemaker
Coincidence
Coldwater
Comeback
Comfortable
Commonplace
Conjunction
Construction
Contraband
Controller
Cookbook
Cookware
Copycat
Corkscrew
Cornbread
Countdown
Counterfeit
Countless
Cowbell
Cowboy
Crabapple
Cranberry
Crisscross
Crossbow
Crossover
Crosswalk
Crowbar
Cuddlefish
Cupcake
Cupholder
Curtainrod
Customer
Cutthroat
Dairyland
Daisywheel
Daybreak
Daycare
Daydream
Daylight
Daytime
Deadline
Deathbed
Deerstalker
Diamondback
Diarykeeper
Dishwasher
Doorbell
Downstairs
Downstream
Dragonfly
Dressmaker
Duckling
Earphone
Earphones
Earring
Earthquake
Earthworm
Earwig
Eavesdrop
Eggplant
Eggshell
Ejector
Electric
Elephant
Emergency
Employee
Envelope
Escalator
Evergreen
Everlasting
Eyeball
Eyebrow
Eyeglasses
Eyelash
Eyesight
Facebook
Facecloth
Faceless
Factcheck
Fairground
Fairyland
Falconry
Farmhand
Farmhouse
Farsighted
Fastball
Fastfood
Fatherhood
Featherbed
Feedback
Feedbag
Fieldwork
Fingerprint
Firecracker
Firefighter
Fireman
Fireplace
Fireproof
Fishbowl
Fisherman
Flagpole
Flamingo
Flashlight
Flatware
Flightless
Flintstone
Floodlight
Flowerbed
Foghorn
Foodstuff
Football
Footbridge
Footprint
Footstep
Footwear
Forerunner
Foxglove
Fragile
Freelance
Freestyle
Freeway
Friendly
Friendship
Frogman
Frontdoor
Frontpage
Fruitcake
Fullback
Funhouse
Funnybone
Gamekeeper
Gangplank
Gangster
Gardenia
Gasoline
Gatekeeper
Gateway
Gearshift
Geothermal
Ghostwriter
Gingerbread
Glassblower
Glasshouse
Glassware
Gluepot
Goldfish
Goldmine
Goodbye
Grapevine
Grasshopper
Greenhouse
Grindstone
Gumdrop
Haircut
Halfback
Hammerhead
Handbag
Handball
Handcuff
Handgun
Handicap
Handshake
Handwritten
Hardback
Haystack
Headache
Headlight
Headphones
Headstone
Heartbeat
Heatwave
Hellfire
Highlight
Hometown
Homework
Honeymoon
Horseback
Hotdog
Housefly
Housekeeper
Houseplant
Housewife
Hummingbird
Humpback
Iceberg
Icebox
Insecticide
Insomniac
Jawbone
Jellybean
Jellyfish
Jumping Jack
Keyboard
Knapsack
Ladybug
Lamplight
Lamppost
Landlord
Landmark
Lavender
Leatherneck
Lifeguard
Lifeline
Lightbulb
Lighthouse
Lightning
Lipstick
Logbook
Longhorn
Lovebird
Lovechild
Lunchbox
Mailbox
Mailman
Mainstream
Masterpiece
Matchbox
Megabyte
Milestone
Milkman
Moonbeam
Moonlight
Moonshine
Motorbike
Motorcycle
Mountainside
Multitask
Mushroom
Netball
Newsroom
Newsstand
Nightfall
Nightlife
Nightstand
Nosebleed
Notebook
Oatmeal
Offload
Offshore
Offspring
Oilcan
Oilfield
Oilrig
Onlooker
Outback
Outbreak
Outfield
Outlet
Outside
Overcoat
Overcome
Overcook
Overdone
Overdue
Overfeed
Overgrowth
Overload
Overnight
Overpay
Overpower
Overreact
Oversleep
Overstay
Overthrow
Overtime
Overturn
Overwork
Pacemaker
Paintbrush
Pancake
Pancakes
Paperback
Parkland
Partygoer
Password
Peppermint
Pinwheel
Playground
Playhouse
Playpen
Playschool
Playsuit
Policecar
Popcorn
Postcard
Postgraduate
Postmark
Pothole
Potluck
Powerboat
Powerhouse
Powerplant
Powerpoint
Prankster
Preacher
Prepaid
Preschool
Printout
Prizewinner
Racehorse
Railroad
Rainbow
Raincoat
Raindrop
Rainforest
Rattlesnake
Razorblade
Redhead
Reindeer
Roadblock
Rosebud
Roughneck
Rubbermaid
Rubberneck
Rubberstamp
Sailboat
Sandcastle
Sandpaper
Sandstone
Sandstorm
Sawdust
Schoolboy
Schoolgirl
Seafood
Seagull
Seaplane
Seascape
Seashore
Secondhand
Seedling
Semifinal
Shampoo
Shareholder
Sharkskin
Sharpshooter
Sheepdog
Shellfish
Shipyard
Shoelace
Shortbread
Shortcake
Shortcut
Showboat
Showgirl
Showman
Sidekick
Silverware
Skateboard
Skyscraper
Sleepwalker
Slowdown
Smallpox
Smartphone
Smokestack
Snakeskin
Snowball
Snowboard
Snowdrift
Snowflake
Snowman
Snowmobile
Snowplow
Snowshoe
Soapbox
Soccerball
Softball
Software
Songbird
Soundproof
Speedway
Spillway
Spitfire
Spotlight
Springboard
Springtime
Stagecoach
Staircase
Starfish
Steamboat
Steelworker
Steeplechase
Stopwatch
Streetcar
Stronghold
Sunburn
Sunflower
Tablecloth
Teaspoon
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Touchdown
Trademark
Treehouse
Turtleneck
Waterfall
Waterproof
Wheelchair
Windmill
Windshield
Workbook
Wristwatch