Definition of Bahuvrihi

noun

• Meaning: In linguistics, a bahuvrihi is a type of compound word that functions as an adjective to describe a person or thing by a characteristic they possess, but the compound itself is not the characteristic-it's the thing that has the characteristic. It is often called an exocentric compound or a possessive compound. The term comes from Sanskrit, meaning "much-rice" (i.e., one who has much rice = wealthy).
  
  Pronunciation: ba-hu-VREE-hee
  
  Example Usage: "The English word 'paleface' is a bahuvrihi, as it does not refer to a pale face itself, but to a person who has a pale face."

  In linguistics class, we learned that "lazybones" is a bahuvrihi because it doesn't refer to literal bones but to a person who has lazy bones.

  The term "highbrow" (for an intellectual) is a bahuvrihi, humorously suggesting the person possesses a high brow.

  The word "redskin" is a controversial bahuvrihi, as it describes a person by the characteristic of red skin.

  Last edited on Aug 29 2025. Submitted by Anonymous on Aug 29 2025.