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Compound adjective

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An adjective formed from two or more words used to modify a noun

Detailed Definition
Compound adjective: A descriptive phrase formed by joining two or more words with hyphens to create a single adjectival unit that modifies a noun in poetry. Common in English verse, compound adjectives like "silver-throated" or "sun-drenched" create vivid, compressed imagery and contribute to a poem's distinctive style and musicality.
Example
Example in poetry:
"Black-eyed Susan" describing a flower; "broken-hearted lover" in romantic poetry; "snow-covered mountains" in landscape verse; "blue-green sea" combining color adjectives for ocean imagery
Additional Notes
Often hyphenated when used before a noun but not after; creates vivid, specific imagery; common in poetry for condensing description; can be invented for poetic effect; examples include "moon-blanched" or "sun-drenched"
Also Known As
Hyphenated modifier Dual descriptor Paired attribute Double epithet Paired modifier Twin descriptor
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