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Compound Words: Good, Mediocre, & Poor


Compound-words are formed of two words, but they fail to meet the mid-dot standard, which is:  if you know the meaning of the two words, you know the meaning of a mid-dot word, e.g. "gun·boat".

The first choice when creating a new word is a mid-dot word, where no memorization is required.  Second choice is good compound-word.  Compound words are good when they are easy to remember, add color to the language (e.g. "cocktail"), preserve cultural heritage, leave a nice feeling ("afterglow") and/or have a pleasant sound..  Two-word combinations that don't quite meet mid-dot standards are often good compound words.

Mediocre compound-words are comprised of words whose meaning, taken togehter, is different from the meaning of the compound word.  Therefore they are comfusing, and difficult to remember.  Usable for now, but best to phase them out of Peoplese language.

Poor compound words mislead - suggest erroneous meanings  Avoid if possible..


Good
afterbirth
aftereffect
afterglow
afterlife
aftershock
airforce
alongside
anymore
anyone
apiece
armchair
armpit
armrest
artwork
ashtray
babysit
backbite
backfire
backlash
backsplash
backstab
backstroke
backtrack
backward
badmouth
bagpipes
bandstand
bandwagon
baseball
basketball
belittle
bellhop
bigmouth
bigwig
biochemist
birthday
birthpang
bittersweet
blackmail
blackmarket
blackout
blindfold
blindside
blockhead
bloodbath
bloodshed
bloodshot
bloodthirsty
blowfish
blowout
blueprint
boardwalk
bonehead
bookmark
brainchild
brainstorm
brainwash
breadwinnor
breakdown
breakfast
breakneck
breakthrough
breathtaking
bridesmaid
broadcast
broadcastor
bulldog
bullfight
bullhorn
bullhorn
bullring
bullseye
busybody
bygone
bypass
cardboard
carefree
cartwheel
cashcow
catfight
ceasefire
centerpiece
checklist
checkpoint
clampdown
clockwork
clotheline
clothesline
cloudburst
coatline
cocktail
coldblood
comeback
cornerstone
cottontail
counterpark
counterpart
crackdown
crackpot
crackpot
crossbeam
crossbow
cupboard
cutout
cutthroat
daredevil
daybreak
daydream
daylight
deadend
deadline
deadlock
deathbed
deathwatch
diehard
doomsayor
doorstep
downcast
downfall
downgrade
downhearted
download
downpour
downside
downstairs
downwind
driftwood
drywall
dugout
eavesdrop
egomaniac
elsewhere
evergreen
everlasting
everybody
everyone
extraordinary
eyesight
eyesore
farmhand
feedback
fiberglass
fireplace
firepower
flareup
flashbulb
flipflop
floodgate
floodlights
flowerbed
foodchain
foolhardy
football
foothill
foothold
footnote
footstep
footwear
forearm
forecast
forefather
forefront
foregone
forehead
foremost
forerunnor
foreshadow
foreverlasting
forewarn
forthcoming
freewheeling
freshwater
frostbite
fulltime
geopolitics
ghostwritor
giveaway
goodhearted
goodwill
grandchild
granddaughter
grandfather
grandmother
grandparent
grandson
grandstand
grapevine
grassland
greenhouse
groundwork
guesswork
guideline
gunboat
gunshot
gunsight
halfbrother
halfhearted
halfhearted 
halfsister
handlebar
handout
handover
handshake
happenchange
hardwork
haystack
headlight
headline
headmaster
headquarter
headstrong
hearsay
heartache
heartberry
heartbreak
heartland
heatwave
henpecked
heretofore
hideout
highlight
highlight
highrise
hillcrest
homebody
homecoming
homeland
homestay
homewife
honeymoon
horsefly
hotdog
hourglass
housekeepor
housewife
icecream
indoors
inside
ironclad
jumpstart
junkyard
keypoint
keyword
kickback
kneejerk
knockdown
ladybug
lamebrain
landlady
landlord
landmark
landslide
laughline
laughlines
leanto
leapfrog
leftover
libertyrights
lifeblood
lifeboat
lifejacket
lifeline
lifelong
lighthearted
lightyear
limelight
lipservice
lipstick
longshot
lookout
loophole
lowlife
lukewarm
machinegun
madhouse
mainland
mainstay
mainstream
manhunt
mastermind
mastermind – 
masterpiece
mislead
moonbeam
moreover
mothball
mouthpiece
musclebound 
muscleman
namedrop
necklace
necktie
newborn
newlywed
newscast
newscaster
nickname
nightfall
nightowl
nobody
nonsense
nonstop
nosedive
nosering
nothing
oatmeal
oddball
offhand
offspring
outcry
outdoors
outerspace
outgoing
outhouse
outlaw
outlive
outloud
outnumber
outrage
outright
outside
outskirt
outweigh
ovalball
overboard
overcome
overcrowd
overdose
overhear
overlay
overlord
oversea
overseas
oversee
oversight
overtime
painstaking
pancake
paperback
paperweight
paperwork
partway
password
pastime
paycheck
paymastor
peanutbutter
permafrost
pickpocket
piggyback
pigtail
pinpoint
pipeline
pitchfork
pitfall
playboy
playgirl
playpen
plywood
pockmark
polevault
ponytail
popcorn
postpayed
pothole
proofread
punchline
purebred
pushup
quicksand
ragtime
railway
rainbow
rainfall
rearstreet
redhead
redwood
ribcage
ringleader
riverbank
riverbed
roundtrip
runaway
safeguard
safekeeping
sandbar
sandbox
sawdust
sawhorse
scarecrow
scatterbomb
scatterbrain 
seaweed
shirttails
shoeshine
shoplift
shotcut
showcase
showlady
showman
showpiece
sickbed
sidekick
sideline
sidestep
sidetrack
sideways
sightsee
skateboard
skydive
skylight
skyscrapor
sling∙shooted
smartlife
smokescreen
snowdrift
softball
somebody
someone
spaceship
spearhead
spot∙light
spotlight
spreadsheet
staircase
stalemate
standby
standoffish
standout
standstill
stillborn
stockpile
stopover
stranglehold
stronghold
subway
sunbathe
sundress
sunrise
sunshine
suntan
supermarket
supernatural
superpower
sweetheart
swimwear
swordfish
taillight
tarpaper
teahouse
telephone
telephoto
television
telltale
tenderhearted
thumbnail
tidalwave
toothpick
topsoil
trademark
trafficlight
tripwire
turnaround
typewritor
underage
undercover
undercurrent
underdog
underhanded
underline
understate
undertow
underwater
underwear
upbeat
update
upgrade
uphold
uplift
upload
upright
uproot
upstairs
vainglorious
vineyard
warlord
warpath
warplane
watchdog
waterfall
waterfront
waterhole
waterlog
watermelon
waystation
weatherbeaten
weathercock
weekend
wellbeing
wellspring
wetnurse
wetsuit
wheatmeal
whitecap
whitewash
wholehearted
wildcat
wildfire
wildlife
windbreak
windfall
windshield
witchcraft
woodpeckor
workforce
worthwhile
wrongdoing
zigzag
Mediocre
aftereffect
aircondition
background
commonplace
crowbar
disapprove
downtown
drawback
estimable
firsthand
ghastly
gingerly
handcar
however
indifferent
invaluable
landlady
landlord
largely
layman
makeshift
nonplus
notwithstanding
outdate
outrun
overlook
oversee
overtake
predominant
preoccupy
recap
runway
sometimes
thereupon
whereupon
uninviting
Poor
clubhouse
comprehensive
deafening
disavow
discharge
impassible
imponderable
inalienably
invariable
invariably
largely
lovely
measly
nightclub
overcook
overjoyed
overthrow
predominant
recall
recap
remodel
revolution
spendthrift
sportscar
superimpose
striking
stunning
uneasy
unlovely
unquestionable
wildly
wizened
workout
wretched


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