ˈkɒmpaʊnd ˈkɑmpaʊnd kəmˈpaʊnd a word (as anthropology, kilocycle, builder) consisting of any of various combinations of words, combining forms, or affixes. Also common in English is another type of verb-noun (or noun-verb) compound, in which an argument of the verb is incorporated into the verb, which is then usually turned into a gerund, such as breastfeeding, finger-pointing, etc.