Sandcastles

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Temporary structures constructed from sand that are often shaped by hand
2. Elaborate figures designed from compacted sand, usually found on shorelines
3. Small artistic or playful constructions created by shaping wet sand, typically on beaches

Etymology: "Sandcastles" is the plural of "sandcastle", so it is the form of a compound built from two plain English words: "sand" and "castle". Both parts are native Old English vocabulary, and the compound describes exactly what it sounds like, a small castle-shaped structure made of sand. The plural simply adds the regular "-s" to the end of the compound, so a single figure built on a beach is a sandcastle and a crowd of them is sandcastles.

Synonyms: sand structures, beach sculptures