Mississippi Foundations of Reading Practice Test

A compound word is defined as which of the following?

1. A word composed of two or more languages

2. A word formed by combining two or more smaller words

3. A complex word structure requiring hyphenation

4. A singular word with multiple syllables

The correct answer is: A word formed by combining two or more smaller words

A compound word is accurately defined as a word formed by combining two or more smaller words. In linguistics, this concept refers to the creation of a new term that combines meanings from the original words. For example, "toothbrush" is formed by combining "tooth" and "brush," both of which retain their meanings to convey a new idea. This process expands vocabulary and allows for nuanced expressions in language. The other definitions do not align with the concept of a compound word. For instance, the notion of a word composed of two or more languages refers to loanwords or code-switching, not compound words. Similarly, the idea of a complex word structure requiring hyphenation pertains more to certain compound forms that are written with hyphens (like "mother-in-law"), but not all compounds require this punctuation. Lastly, a singular word with multiple syllables describes polysyllabic words, which may or may not be compounds, but does not specifically address the nature of compound words themselves.