在英語(yǔ)合成詞中，合成名詞（compound nouns）數(shù)量很多，而且可以按照既定規(guī)律自行構(gòu)造新詞。
合成名詞構(gòu)造法主要有下列八種：
①名詞+名詞，如
daybreak, sunrise, cattleshed, house-keeper, shoe-maker, headache, night-club, pocket-knife, arm-chair, wine-glass, ink-stand, man-servant, maid-servant, steamboat, goldsmith, newspaper, lawsuit等。
②形容詞+名詞，如
blackboard, commonweath, highway, stronghold, sweetheart, easy-chair, grandson, blueprint, deadline, high-brow, lazy-bones等。
③動(dòng)詞+名詞，如
drawbridge, grindstone, playground, pickpocket, breakfast, cut-throat, makeshift, sing-song, turn-coat, washbasin 等。
④副詞虛詞+名詞，如
afterthought, offshoot, outbreak, byway, bylaw, outpost, overcoat, underclothes, outgrowth, downpour, upkeep, bystander等。
⑤副詞虛詞+動(dòng)詞，如
income, outlet, outlook, onset, outfit, upstart, inlet, offspring, outburst, offset等。
⑥動(dòng)詞+副詞，如
die-hard, breakdown, drawback, set-up, break-up, farewell, standstill, feedback等。
⑦名詞+動(dòng)名詞，如
book-keeping, town-planning, letter-writing, word-building, tiger-hunting, paper-manufacturing, bill-collecting, car-repairing, television-advertising, window-shopping, day-dreaming, photocopying, handwriting等。
⑧其他，如
man-of-war, forget-me-not, son-in-law, mother-in-law, commander-in-chief, editor-in-chief, merry-go-round, hide-and-seek, stay-at-home, jack-in-the-box等。
在這8種構(gòu)詞法中，第7類(lèi)“名詞+動(dòng)名詞”最富生命力。此外，動(dòng)名詞還可以下列三形式構(gòu)成合成名詞：
㈠動(dòng)名詞+名詞，如
drinking water, listening material, fishingrod, waiting-room, looking-glass, stepping-stone, running mate 等。
㈡動(dòng)名詞+副詞虛詞，如
swearing-in, going-over
㈢副詞+動(dòng)名詞，如
uprising, well-being 等。
合成名詞構(gòu)造法主要有下列八種：
①名詞+名詞，如
daybreak, sunrise, cattleshed, house-keeper, shoe-maker, headache, night-club, pocket-knife, arm-chair, wine-glass, ink-stand, man-servant, maid-servant, steamboat, goldsmith, newspaper, lawsuit等。
②形容詞+名詞，如
blackboard, commonweath, highway, stronghold, sweetheart, easy-chair, grandson, blueprint, deadline, high-brow, lazy-bones等。
③動(dòng)詞+名詞，如
drawbridge, grindstone, playground, pickpocket, breakfast, cut-throat, makeshift, sing-song, turn-coat, washbasin 等。
④副詞虛詞+名詞，如
afterthought, offshoot, outbreak, byway, bylaw, outpost, overcoat, underclothes, outgrowth, downpour, upkeep, bystander等。
⑤副詞虛詞+動(dòng)詞，如
income, outlet, outlook, onset, outfit, upstart, inlet, offspring, outburst, offset等。
⑥動(dòng)詞+副詞，如
die-hard, breakdown, drawback, set-up, break-up, farewell, standstill, feedback等。
⑦名詞+動(dòng)名詞，如
book-keeping, town-planning, letter-writing, word-building, tiger-hunting, paper-manufacturing, bill-collecting, car-repairing, television-advertising, window-shopping, day-dreaming, photocopying, handwriting等。
⑧其他，如
man-of-war, forget-me-not, son-in-law, mother-in-law, commander-in-chief, editor-in-chief, merry-go-round, hide-and-seek, stay-at-home, jack-in-the-box等。
在這8種構(gòu)詞法中，第7類(lèi)“名詞+動(dòng)名詞”最富生命力。此外，動(dòng)名詞還可以下列三形式構(gòu)成合成名詞：
㈠動(dòng)名詞+名詞，如
drinking water, listening material, fishingrod, waiting-room, looking-glass, stepping-stone, running mate 等。
㈡動(dòng)名詞+副詞虛詞，如
swearing-in, going-over
㈢副詞+動(dòng)名詞，如
uprising, well-being 等。