Bahuvrihi
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ginger hair
.A bahuvrihi compound (from
, but a feline with sabre-like teeth.In
privative a
; the word bahuvrīhí is itself likewise an exception to this rule.
Bahuvrihi compounds are called possessive compounds in English.[1] In English, bahuvrihis can be identified and the last constituent is usually a noun, while the whole compound is a noun or an adjective. The accent is on the first constituent. English bahuvrihis often describe people using synecdoche: flatfoot, half-wit, highbrow, lowlife, redhead, tenderfoot, long-legs, and white-collar.
In dictionaries and other reference works, the abbreviation 'Bhvr.' is sometimes used to indicate bahuvrihi compounds.[2]
Examples
English
- "Houndstooth", a woven fabric with a patterns resembling dog's teeth: "She's wearing houndstooth."
- "Old money", members from established upper-class who have usually inherited their wealth: "He's definitely old money."
- "Bluestocking", an educated, intellectual, or artistically accomplished woman: "Auntie Maud will never marry; she's a bluestocking."
- blue-collarlabor, referring to common colors of uniforms of clerks and workmen respectively c. early 20th century.
Other languages
- Hrímfaxi (meaning shining-mane and rime-mane; two horses in Norse mythology) are two examples of Old Norsebahuvrihis.
- Haxāmaniš
See also
Look up bahuvrihi in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Dvandva
- Sanskrit_compound#Dvigu-bahuvrīhi and Sanskrit_compound#Dvigu-tatpuruṣa_(numerative)
- Kenning
- Makurakotoba
- Sanskrit compound
- Synecdoche