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compound

[/ˈkɒmpaʊnd/ (noun/adj), /kəmˈpaʊnd/ (verb)]
noun/verb/adjectivepl: compounds
composto
1. A substance made up of two or more elements chemically bonded together
Water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
Água é um composto de hidrogênio e oxigênio.
2. An enclosed area with buildings or facilities inside
The military compound was heavily guarded.
O complexo militar era fortemente guardado.
3. Made up of multiple parts or elements; composite
A compound sentence contains two independent clauses.
Uma oração composta contém duas cláusulas independentes.
4. To make worse; to add to a problem
Bad weather compounded the difficulties of the rescue operation.
O mau tempo agravou as dificuldades da operação de resgate.
Synonyms
mixturecompositecombinationcomplexaggravateworsen
Antonyms
simpleelementalleviateease

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
composto
Standard usage in chemistry and general contexts
General Brazilian
complexo
Used for enclosed areas with multiple buildings
São Paulo
composto
Preferred in technical and scientific language
Portugal
composto
Standard in both European and Brazilian Portuguese

Related Idioms & Phrases

compound interest
compound fracture
compound effect
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