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Duonyms

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Duonyms

 

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

If you'd like to submit your own duonym to this page, please email jesse@flowresearch.com.
  
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

Shades of Experience

 

0. Table of Contents

1. Viewpoint Pluralism

2. Experience-Rich

3. Duonyms

4. Feel Like 20 Again

5. Self-Expression

6. Poems

7. Flowtime, a Form of Decimal Time

Appendix A - Circular Geometry

Appendix B - Synthetic Proof

Appendix C - Acknowledgements


 
 
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