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endocentric

 - 2 dictionary results

en⋅do⋅cen⋅tric

  [en-doh-sen-trik]
Use endocentric in a Sentence
–adjective Grammar.
(of a construction or compound) having the same syntactic function in the sentence as one of its immediate constituents. Cold water is an endocentric construction, since it functions as would the noun water. Greenhouse is an endocentric compound, since it is a noun as is its head house.
Compare exocentric.

Origin:
1930–35; endo- + -centric
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To endocentric
en·do·cen·tric   (ěn'dō-sěn'trĭk)   
adj.  

  1. Of or relating to a group of syntactically related words, at least one of which is functionally equivalent to the function of the whole group. For example, the noun table in the noun phrase the old table is endocentric because it has the same grammatical function as the whole noun phrase.

  2. Of or relating to a compound word whose referent is the same as the referent of one of its constituent parts. For example, the noun blackboard is endocentric in that it refers to a type of board.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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