Compoundings

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. The formation or combination of two or more elements into a single entity; the act of creating something by joining parts together; a chemical substance made from two or more elements chemically bonded
2. The process of linking multiple parts to form a unified whole; the action of blending components for a combined effect; substances formed by atoms of different elements joined by chemical bonds
3. The act of uniting various elements into one compound whole; combining factors to produce a new result; molecules consisting of multiple elements chemically connected

Etymology: "Compoundings" is the plural of "compounding," the noun for the act of combining parts into a single whole. The plural form is simply the ordinary English -s ending added to that noun. Compounding itself comes from the verb "compound," which passed into English through Old French from the Latin "componere," meaning "to put together," built from "com-" ("together") and "ponere" ("to place"). The noun and verb share that same sense of putting pieces side by side until they form one thing.