bahuvrihi

[ bah-hoo-vree-hee ]

noun

, plural ba·hu·vri·his.

1. Grammar. a compound noun or adjective consisting of two constituents, the first of which is adjectival and describes the person or object denoted by the second, which is nominal: the compound as a whole denotes or describes a person or object having what is denoted by the second element, as bonehead, heavy-handed, redcoat.

bahuvrihi

/ ˌbɑːhuːˈvriːhiː /

noun

1. a class of compound words consisting of two elements the first of which is a specific feature of the second
2. a compound word of this type, such as hunchback , bluebell , highbrow

Word History and Origins

Origin of bahuvrihi¹

1840–50; < Sanskrit: literally, having much rice, equivalent to bahu- much + vrīhi rice; used to name the type of compound word of which it is an example

Word History and Origins

Origin of bahuvrihi¹

C19: from Sanskrit bahuvrīhi , itself this type of compound, from bahu much + vrīh rice