Main Entry:

¹com·pound

Pronunciation:

\käm-ˈpau̇nd, kəm-ˈ, ˈkäm-ˌ\

Function:

verb

Etymology:

Middle English compounen, from Anglo-French *cumpundre, from Latin componere, from com- + ponere to put — more at position

Date:

14th century

transitive verb1: to put together (parts) so as to form a whole : combine <compound ingredients>2: to form by combining parts <compound a medicine>3 a: to settle amicably : adjust by agreement b: to agree for a consideration not to prosecute (an offense) <compound a felony>4 a: to pay (interest) on both the accrued interest and the principal b: to add to : augment <we compounded our error in later policy — Robert Lekachman>intransitive verb1: to become joined in a compound2: to come to terms of agreement

— com·pound·able \-ˈpau̇n-də-bəl, -ˌpau̇n-\ adjective

— com·pound·er noun