A list of 508 compound words, split into their two parts

Every closed compound used by KEYSTONE, the daily word bridge game.

A compound word is a single word built out of two words that can each stand alone: day plus light makes daylight. English writes them closed (daylight), hyphenated (well-being) or open (ice cream); only the closed ones are listed here, because those are the ones the game can join end to end.

Every entry below is a join that actually appears in a KEYSTONE puzzle. The list was filtered by hand: words that merely look like compounds because of an accidental split (handsome is not hand + some, manage is not man + age) were removed, as were surnames and place names. What is left is 508 compound words made from 265 distinct parts.

A B C D E F G H K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y

A 8 words

afterlife = after + life
aftertaste = after + taste
afterthought = after + thought
anymore = any + more
anytime = any + time
anyway = any + way
armpit = arm + pit
artwork = art + work

B 55 words

backboard = back + board
backbone = back + bone
backdoor = back + door
backfire = back + fire
background = back + ground
backpack = back + pack
backseat = back + seat
backside = back + side
backstage = back + stage
backward = back + ward
backwater = back + water
backwoods = back + woods
backyard = back + yard
bagman = bag + man
ballpark = ball + park
ballpoint = ball + point
ballroom = ball + room
baseball = base + ball
bathroom = bath + room
bedroom = bed + room
bedside = bed + side
bedspread = bed + spread
bedtime = bed + time
beforehand = before + hand
bigfoot = big + foot
birthday = birth + day
birthplace = birth + place
blackboard = black + board
blackguard = black + guard
blackmail = black + mail
blackout = black + out
blackwood = black + wood
bloodbath = blood + bath
bloodless = blood + less
bloodline = blood + line
boardroom = board + room
boardwalk = board + walk
boatload = boat + load
boatman = boat + man
bodyguard = body + guard
boneless = bone + less
bookshop = book + shop
bookstore = book + store
bookworm = book + worm
bowman = bow + man
boyfriend = boy + friend
boyhood = boy + hood
breakaway = break + away
breakdown = break + down
breakfast = break + fast
breakout = break + out
breakthrough = break + through
brotherhood = brother + hood
burnout = burn + out
businessman = business + man

C 29 words

cameraman = camera + man
campfire = camp + fire
campground = camp + ground
cardboard = card + board
carefree = care + free
castaway = cast + away
caveman = cave + man
chairman = chair + man
chairwoman = chair + woman
checkbook = check + book
checklist = check + list
checkout = check + out
checkpoint = check + point
cheerleader = cheer + leader
childbirth = child + birth
clockwork = clock + work
clubhouse = club + house
comeback = come + back
councilman = council + man
countdown = count + down
courthouse = court + house
cowboy = cow + boy
cowgirl = cow + girl
crossbow = cross + bow
crossfire = cross + fire
crossover = cross + over
crosswalk = cross + walk
cutoff = cut + off
cutout = cut + out

D 26 words

database = data + base
daybreak = day + break
daydream = day + dream
daydreaming = day + dreaming
daylight = day + light
daytime = day + time
deathbed = death + bed
doghouse = dog + house
doorman = door + man
doorstep = door + step
doorway = door + way
downfall = down + fall
downhill = down + hill
download = down + load
downright = down + right
downriver = down + river
downside = down + side
downstairs = down + stairs
downtime = down + time
downtown = down + town
downward = down + ward
downwind = down + wind
dreamboat = dream + boat
dreamland = dream + land
driveway = drive + way
drugstore = drug + store

E 5 words

everybody = every + body
everyday = every + day
everyman = every + man
everyone = every + one
eyeball = eye + ball

F 36 words

fallback = fall + back
fallout = fall + out
farmhand = farm + hand
farmhouse = farm + house
fatherhood = father + hood
fatherland = father + land
fatherless = father + less
fearsome = fear + some
feedback = feed + back
firearm = fire + arm
firearms = fire + arms
fireball = fire + ball
firefighter = fire + fighter
firefly = fire + fly
firehouse = fire + house
fireman = fire + man
firemen = fire + men
fireplace = fire + place
firepower = fire + power
fireproof = fire + proof
fireside = fire + side
firewall = fire + wall
firewood = fire + wood
firework = fire + work
firsthand = first + hand
flashback = flash + back
flashlight = flash + light
flyover = fly + over
football = foot + ball
footwork = foot + work
freeman = free + man
freeway = free + way
frenchman = french + man
freshman = fresh + man
friendship = friend + ship
furthermore = further + more

G 17 words

girlfriend = girl + friend
godfather = god + father
godmother = god + mother
goodnight = good + night
goodwill = good + will
grandchild = grand + child
grandfather = grand + father
grandmother = grand + mother
greenhouse = green + house
groundwork = ground + work
guardhouse = guard + house
gunfire = gun + fire
gunman = gun + man
gunmen = gun + men
gunpoint = gun + point
gunpowder = gun + powder
gunshot = gun + shot

H 44 words

handbag = hand + bag
handball = hand + ball
handbook = hand + book
handgun = hand + gun
handout = hand + out
handprint = hand + print
hangman = hang + man
hangout = hang + out
hangover = hang + over
headband = head + band
headless = head + less
headlight = head + light
headline = head + line
headlong = head + long
headman = head + man
headmaster = head + master
headstrong = head + strong
headway = head + way
hearsay = hear + say
heartbreak = heart + break
heartburn = heart + burn
heartland = heart + land
hereafter = here + after
hideout = hide + out
highland = high + land
highlight = high + light
highschool = high + school
hillside = hill + side
hilltop = hill + top
homeland = home + land
homework = home + work
horseback = horse + back
hotdog = hot + dog
hothead = hot + head
hotshot = hot + shot
houseboat = house + boat
houseboy = house + boy
household = house + hold
housekeeping = house + keeping
houseman = house + man
housewife = house + wife
housewives = house + wives
housework = house + work
however = how + ever

K 3 words

keyboard = key + board
knockoff = knock + off
knockout = knock + out

L 33 words

ladyship = lady + ship
landfall = land + fall
landlady = land + lady
landline = land + line
landlord = land + lord
landmark = land + mark
landowner = land + owner
landslide = land + slide
lawless = law + less
lawman = law + man
lawson = law + son
lawsuit = law + suit
layman = lay + man
layout = lay + out
layover = lay + over
leadership = leader + ship
leftover = left + over
letdown = let + down
lifeblood = life + blood
lifeguard = life + guard
lifeless = life + less
lifeline = life + line
lifelong = life + long
lifestyle = life + style
lifetime = life + time
lighthouse = light + house
lightweight = light + weight
listless = list + less
longtime = long + time
lookout = look + out
lordship = lord + ship
lowdown = low + down
lowlife = low + life

M 19 words

madhouse = mad + house
madman = mad + man
mailman = mail + man
mainland = main + land
manhood = man + hood
manhunt = man + hunt
mankind = man + kind
manpower = man + power
mastermind = master + mind
masterpiece = master + piece
meatball = meat + ball
middleman = middle + man
milkman = milk + man
mindless = mind + less
moonlight = moon + light
moreover = more + over
motherhood = mother + hood
motherland = mother + land
motherless = mother + less

N 7 words

nightcap = night + cap
nightclub = night + club
nightfall = night + fall
nightlife = night + life
nightstand = night + stand
nighttime = night + time
notebook = note + book

O 62 words

offhand = off + hand
offline = off + line
offload = off + load
offscreen = off + screen
offset = off + set
offshore = off + shore
offside = off + side
offspring = off + spring
offstage = off + stage
oneself = one + self
outback = out + back
outboard = out + board
outbreak = out + break
outcast = out + cast
outcome = out + come
outdoor = out + door
outfit = out + fit
outgoing = out + going
outhouse = out + house
outlaw = out + law
outlet = out + let
outline = out + line
outlook = out + look
outpost = out + post
output = out + put
outright = out + right
outrun = out + run
outset = out + set
outside = out + side
outstanding = out + standing
outward = out + ward
outwit = out + wit
overall = over + all
overboard = over + board
overcast = over + cast
overcome = over + come
overdrive = over + drive
overdue = over + due
overhead = over + head
overhear = over + hear
overland = over + land
overlap = over + lap
overlay = over + lay
overload = over + load
overlook = over + look
overlord = over + lord
overnight = over + night
overpass = over + pass
overpower = over + power
override = over + ride
overrun = over + run
oversee = over + see
oversight = over + sight
overstep = over + step
overtake = over + take
overthrow = over + throw
overtime = over + time
overturn = over + turn
overview = over + view
overweight = over + weight
overwork = over + work
ownership = owner + ship

P 21 words

paperback = paper + back
paperwork = paper + work
passkey = pass + key
passover = pass + over
payback = pay + back
paycheck = pay + check
payday = pay + day
payoff = pay + off
payout = pay + out
pipeline = pipe + line
playground = play + ground
playhouse = play + house
pointless = point + less
postcard = post + card
postman = post + man
postmaster = post + master
postwar = post + war
powerhouse = power + house
powerless = power + less
printout = print + out
proofread = proof + read

Q 1 words

quarterback = quarter + back

R 13 words

rainbow = rain + bow
rainfall = rain + fall
rainwater = rain + water
readout = read + out
redhead = red + head
riverbed = river + bed
riverside = river + side
rooftop = roof + top
roommate = room + mate
runaway = run + away
rundown = run + down
runoff = run + off
runway = run + way

S 49 words

schoolboy = school + boy
schoolgirl = school + girl
schoolhouse = school + house
screenplay = screen + play
seabed = sea + bed
seaside = sea + side
seatbelt = seat + belt
selfless = self + less
setback = set + back
shipyard = ship + yard
shootout = shoot + out
shoreline = shore + line
shotgun = shot + gun
showdown = show + down
shutdown = shut + down
sidearm = side + arm
sideboard = side + board
sidekick = side + kick
sideline = side + line
sidewalk = side + walk
sightseeing = sight + seeing
sisterhood = sister + hood
snowball = snow + ball
softball = soft + ball
somebody = some + body
someday = some + day
somehow = some + how
someone = some + one
sometime = some + time
somewhat = some + what
spotlight = spot + light
springtime = spring + time
standoff = stand + off
stepbrother = step + brother
stepfather = step + father
stepmother = step + mother
stepsister = step + sister
stepson = step + son
storehouse = store + house
storeroom = store + room
strongman = strong + man
sunburn = sun + burn
sunday = sun + day
sundown = sun + down
sunlight = sun + light
sunroof = sun + roof
sunscreen = sun + screen
sunset = sun + set
sweetheart = sweet + heart

T 23 words

takeaway = take + away
takedown = take + down
takeoff = take + off
takeout = take + out
takeover = take + over
tasteless = taste + less
teamwork = team + work
textbook = text + book
thoughtless = thought + less
throughout = through + out
throwaway = throw + away
throwback = throw + back
timeless = time + less
timeout = time + out
timetable = time + table
topside = top + side
touchdown = touch + down
townhouse = town + house
troublesome = trouble + some
turnoff = turn + off
turnout = turn + out
turnover = turn + over
turntable = turn + table

U 12 words

undercut = under + cut
underfoot = under + foot
underground = under + ground
underhand = under + hand
underpass = under + pass
undersea = under + sea
understand = under + stand
undertake = under + take
underwater = under + water
underway = under + way
underwood = under + wood
underworld = under + world

V 1 words

viewpoint = view + point

W 43 words

walkout = walk + out
walkway = walk + way
wallpaper = wall + paper
warhead = war + head
warlord = war + lord
wartime = war + time
wasteland = waste + land
watchman = watch + man
waterbed = water + bed
waterfall = water + fall
waterman = water + man
waterway = water + way
wayside = way + side
wayward = way + ward
weightless = weight + less
whatever = what + ever
whatnot = what + not
wheelchair = wheel + chair
wheelhouse = wheel + house
wholesome = whole + some
widespread = wide + spread
wildfire = wild + fire
wildlife = wild + life
willpower = will + power
windfall = wind + fall
windpipe = wind + pipe
without = with + out
witless = wit + less
womanhood = woman + hood
wonderland = wonder + land
woodman = wood + man
woodsman = woods + man
woodwork = wood + work
workday = work + day
workhouse = work + house
workload = work + load
workman = work + man
workout = work + out
workplace = work + place
workroom = work + room
workshop = work + shop
worldwide = world + wide
wormwood = worm + wood

Y 1 words

yearbook = year + book

How to read the list

Each line gives the compound first, then the two parts in order. The order matters. English compounds are head-final, which means the second part carries the core meaning and the first part narrows it: a houseboat is a boat, a boathouse is a house. That is why reversing a compound usually produces either a different word or no word at all.

Words that appear on both sides

Some parts are unusually productive and show up at the front of some compounds and the back of others. Those are the words a bridge can be built through, and they have pages of their own. The full table of all 141 of them, with counts, is on the compound word hinges page.

Using this list

It is free to copy for teaching, word games, crossword setting or anything else. There is no tracking on this page and no account to make. If you want to use the words rather than read them, the game gives you three bridges a day.

Play today's three bridges

More: the 141 hinge words · hinge word pages A–Z · every past day · play KEYSTONE