We are devoted to keeping up with changing language and technology by finding new ways to describe experience.
A duonym is a word made up of two words that are put together to make a word with a new meaning. For example, in the word “butterfly” the words “butter” and “fly” are put together to form a word with a new meaning. Other examples are “baseball” and “egghead.”
The word “duonym” is formed on the model of “synonym” and “antonym”. Some people have said that a duonym is the same as a compound word. While this is true, a compound word can be made up of more than two words, like “newspaperman,” while a duonym is made up of only two words. Secondly, it is convenient to have a single word that describes this phenomenon. How often do people talk about compound words? Even though we use them all the time, to my knowledge no one has tried to catalog them, explain in detail their significance, or show in a systematic way what value they have.
The advent of the Internet and the pressure of space in publishing are two forces that have brought out the value of duonyms. A domain name, which is something that can be purchased and turned into a website, cannot have a blank space. And some of the most valuable websites are duonyms – preferably on the short side. Just knowing about duonyms can be a great generator for domain names. According to Godaddy, three of the four most expensive domain names sold were duonyms:
- carinsurance.com – $49.7 million
- vacationrentals – $35 million
- privatejet.com – $30.18 million
Another point is that language is not static like a mountain; it changes continuously like the ocean. Duonyms provide a way to accommodate the changing nature of language. Duonyms often start as two different words. Then as something becomes important enough to require its own name, or changes in a way to require a unique name, the two words are put together to form a duonym. They may even go through a hyphenation stage. “Typewriter” is a good example. Originally, in the mid-1800s, was written as two words, though sometimes they were hyphenated. Eventually, as the technology evolved, it began to be written as the duonym we have today.
Our language is inadequate to describe our changing experience. Duonyms are one natural way that our language can adapt to describe new experiences and new technologies. Words like “airplane,” “skateboard,” “hamburger,” “bellbottom,” “bluejeans,” and “superstar” have come into being in the past 150-200 years, and some much more recently. Our experiences change, our technology changes, and the way we experience the world changes. This is why we need duonyms!
Examples of Duonyms
| afterglow aftermarket aftermath afternoon aftershock airflow airline airlock airtight backfield backstop backup backwash baggywrinkle ballcarrier ballpark ballplayer ballroom bankroll barnstorm barnstormer barnyard baseball baseman baserunning basketball batboy beachcomber beadboard beanbag beanball beansprout beavertail bedboard bedclothes bedrock bedroll bedstead beekeeper bellhop beltway bigwig blackberry blackbird blindside blindstitch blockbuster blowhole blowoff blowout bluejeans boardroom boardwalk bobsled bodyboard bodysurf bookmark bookworm bootleg borehole bottleneck bottomhole boyfriend brainstorm braintrust brainwash breezeway brightwork broadband brushback brushstroke bubblegum buffertime bulkhead bullpen bullseye butterball buttercup buttonhook cakewalk camelback capstone cartwheel cashflow casinghead catcall catchword catfish cattail catwalk causeway chalkboard checkbook cheesecake cherrystone clambake classroom cleanup clergyman cliffhanger cloudburst coattail cobblestone cockscomb cogwheel comeback copycat copyright cornerback countdown counterbalance counterstroke coveralls cowbird cowboy cowhide crosscut crossroad crosswind crosswise curveball cutback daggerboard daredevil deadlight deepsea deepwater desktop dimeback dockside dockyard dogleg dogwood doubleheader doughboy download downscale downshift downside downstream downtime drainpipe dreamboat duckdive dugout dumbstruck egghead eggplant endpoint | entryway eyebrow eyewall farmyard farsighted fastball fatcat featherweight fellowship fiberglass fingernail fireball fireballer firebox firelight fireline fireplace firewater fireworks flagship flashback flashbulb flashlight flatstitch flowloop flowmeter flowrate flowstream flowtime flyball football footstool footwork forecast forefront forerunner foreshadow foresight forethought freeform freshwater fullback fullsuit funboard furball gasflow gaslight gaussmeter gelcoat girlfriend godsend goldfish goldmine gooseneck grapefruit greenhorn greenhouse grindstone groundball groundbreaking groundswell groupthink gumball hairball halfback handbook handcart handkerchief handrail handshake handstand handwarmer handwork handwriting hangout hangtime hardball hardscrabble hardtack hardtop hardware haywire headache headband headboard headgear headhunter headlamp headlight headmaster headroom heartache hearthside heartwarmer hedgehog highbrow hindcast hollowboard homebody homeland homepage hometown homework honeybun honeymoon hotbed hotbox hotcoat hotdog hothead hothouse hourglass indoor infield infielder innkeeper inside insight jumprope jumpshot junebug keyhole keynote kickoff kneepad knucklecurve landform landmark landscape lapdog laptop layback leadoff leakproof legroom legwarmer legwork lifeline lifescape lighthouse lightweight limelight limestone linebacker lineman lionhearted littlestone loggerhead login | logjam longboard loveline lowball mailbox marketshare massflow masthead millstone mindbender mindset mindspring moonpool moonshine moonstone moonstruck nearsighted network newsletter newspaper nickelback nightmare nightstand notebook nothing nowhere offset offshore oilcloth oilflow online onset onshore outdoor outerwear outfield outfielder outline outlook outside overcoat overdrive overflow overhang overlook override overseas overseer overshirt overshoes oversight oxbow paddlewheel paperclip parkland passport password payzone pickoff pigdog pigtail pilothouse pinball pinpoint pinstripe pintail pipeline pipework pitchout placekicker playbook ponytail porthole postbox potbelly potboiler potholder pothole powerhouse pricebreak printout pullover quarterback racquetball railroad rainbow rainout racquetball raspberry rimhanger rimshot roughneck roundabout rubberneck rundown safeguard saltwater sandbar sandpaper sandspit sandstone scarecrow screenplay seabed seafood seascape seashell seawall seaweed seedbed seedbox shadowbox shellfish shipbuilder shipyard shirtdress shirtwaist shoehorn shopkeeper shorebreak shoreline shorepound shortboard shortfall shorthand shortstop shutdown shutout sideline sideshore sidestep sideswipe sidetrack sidewalk sightsee signpost silverware sinkhole skyscraper skylight skyline skyscraper slimline slipstream slotback smartcard smartmeter smokescreen smokestack | snapback snowbird snowboard snowdrift snowfall snowfield snowflake snowman snowsuit softshell software somehow something sometime somewhere songbird soundtrack sourpuss spacecraft spitball spyglass squaretail squashtail standpipe standup stargazer steamboat stemware stewpot stockbroker stockcar stockholder stockpile stonewashed stopwatch stormchaser strawberry streamline sunflower sunglasses sunscreen supergroup supertanker surfboard swallowtail sweatbreads sweatshirt sweetcake sweetheart swimfin swimsuit swimwear tabletop tailgate tailslide tailspin teamwork teapot tearjerker teddybear teenage thrillseeker thunderclap thunderhead thunderstorm tightrope timecard timekeeper timeline timetable toenail tombstone toolpusher topcoat topknot topneck topside topstitch touchstone towhead trainyard treadmill tripleshot trustworthy turnbuckle turncoat turnkey turnstile turntable turtleneck twillweave twinfin typewriter undercoat underground underlay undertow updraft upend upgrade upload upscale upside upstream upswing upturn viewpoint wastewater watchdog watchtower watchword waterfall waterway waterwheel weathervane website wellbore wellhead wellspring wetland wetsuit whirlpool whitecaps wholesale widespread wildcat wildflower windfall windpower windshield windsock windswell windup wingback wireworks wishbone woodstove woodwork wordprocessing wordsmith workforce workgroup workover workshop worldwide wristband yardarm yellowtail |