compound sentence

American  

noun

• compound sentences
  plural

1. a sentence containing two or more coordinate independent clauses, usually joined by one or more conjunctions, but no dependent clause, as The lightning flashed (independent clause) and (conjunction) the rain fell (independent clause).

---

compound sentence British  

noun

1. a sentence containing at least two coordinate clauses

---

compound sentence Cultural  

1. A sentence that contains at least two independent clauses, often joined by conjunctions: “Dr. Watson explained his theory, and Sherlock Holmes listened quietly.” (Compare complex sentence, compound-complex sentence, and simple sentence.)

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• compound sentences
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of compound sentence

First recorded in 1765–75

---

Compare meaning

How does compound-sentence compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• compound sentence vs. complex sentence
• simple sentence vs. compound sentence

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

compound sentence

What one of the relations of a compound sentence does the second part bear to the first?

From English: Composition and Literature by W. F. (William Franklin) Webster

It is also used to give independence to the members of a compound sentence when not very complex.

From English: Composition and Literature by W. F. (William Franklin) Webster

Commas are used to separate the members of a compound sentence when they are short or closely connected.

From Composition-Rhetoric by Stratton D. Brooks

And a similar process takes place with the various elements of a compound sentence.

From Commentary Upon the Maya-Tzental Perez Codex with a Concluding Note Upon the Linguistic Problem of the Maya Glyphs by William Gates

Certainly the last two sentences could be united into a compound sentence, nor would it be straining the structure to put all three sentences into one.

From English: Composition and Literature by W. F. (William Franklin) Webster

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---