bahuvrihi


ba·hu·vri·hi

B0028450 (bŭ′ho͞o-vrē′hē)n. pl. ba·hu·vri·his A compound word functioning as an adjective whose last element is in origin a noun. For example, in the phrase high-fiber diet, the compound high-fiber is a bahuvrihi modifying diet that ends in the noun fiber.
[Sanskrit bahuvrīhiḥ, having much rice (an example of the type) : bahu-, much + vrīhiḥ, rice.]

bahuvrihi

(ˌbɑːhuːˈvriːhiː) n1. (Linguistics) a class of compound words consisting of two elements the first of which is a specific feature of the second2. (Linguistics) a compound word of this type, such as hunchback, bluebell, highbrow[C19: from Sanskrit bahuvrīhi, itself this type of compound, from bahu much + vrīh rice]