An acronym where each letter is used in a more creative manner to express more meaning than a simpler letter-for-word acronym would enable.
BDSM is technically an acronym, but not a traditional letter-for-word acronym like "TSA" or "LMAO". Instead, the term BDSM acts as a compound acronym. It stands for "Bondage and Discipline, Domination and Submission, Sadism and Masochism". If that term were expressed as a conventional acronym, it would be written out as "BDDSSM", and so consolidating the redundant letters of the acronym and expressing the term as a compound acronym, "BDSM", makes for a term that is far easier to say.
When a person loosen up a black and mild but doesn’t take out the cancer stick
I’m tired of my milds being stuck so I compound freaked it
When two (whole) words are combined to create a new word with a new meaning.
(This new meaning can be wildly different from what the original two words mean on their own).
Additionally, there are three different kinds of Compound Words: Open, Closed, and Hyphenated.
Closed compound words have no spaces. Open compound words have separation between the two (or three) words. Hyphenated compound words have hyphens between words.
(Closed Compound Words):
Justice- Just, Ice,
Bargain- Bar, gain,
Kidnapping- Kid, Napping,
Grandparent- Grand, Parent,
Babysit- Baby, Sit,
Pineapple- Pine, Apple,
(Open Compound Words):
(While there’s a physical space between open compound words, the meanings of the two words have been combined. This is why they are still considered Compound.)
Examples:
Cell Phone- Cell, Phone,
First Aid- First, Aid,
Common Sense- Common, Sense,
Real Estate- Real, Estate,
Life Jacket- Life, Jacket,
Rib Cage- Rib, Cage,
Hot Dog- Hot, Dog,
Cotton Candy- Cotton, Candy,
(Hyphenated Compound Words):
Well-being- Well, Being,
Word-of-mouth- Word, Mouth, Of,
Up-to-date- Up, date, to,
Most native English speakers don't give compound words much thought...because we're so overly familiar with them in every day speech. However...Compound words are a great testament to how bizarre (and often hilarious) the English language can be.
Like think about the distinct departure in meaning between say: kidnapping vs. kid napping or one nightstand vs. one night stand, Or what about how we decided to define generational age with words like "Grand" or "Great?" (I.E. Great-Great-Grandparent). We all know there's nothing grand about aging itself, and not everyone's grandparents qualify as "grand" either. "Hot dog" is another little adventure.
There is so much about the world that's wonderful and weird sitting in front of us, but we miss out because we don't pay attention to what's overly familiar.
Example of a compound word:
Compoundword
NOSPACES!!!!!!!111111
If the Englishlanguage used more compoundwords:
Declarationofindependence
Nationalhockeyleague
Popmusic
Compound words