A connecting compound is a composite word that joins two distinct elements to create a new semantic unit emphasizing the relationship or bridge between its components. In poetry, connecting compounds function as linguistic linkages that bind disparate concepts, images, or qualities into single expressive units. These formations allow poets to articulate complex relationships efficiently, create novel metaphorical connections, or achieve compression by uniting meanings that would otherwise require multiple words. The hyphenated or fused nature of connecting compounds makes visible the act of synthesis inherent in poetic thinking.

A connecting compound fuses words without a conjunction (e.g., "sunmoon") to suggest unity or hybridity—often used in neologisms or mythopoetic diction.