attributive noun

An "attributive noun" acts like an adjective to modify another noun, providing additional information.

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Definition

(technical, academic)A noun that functions like an adjective by describing another noun, usually placed before it.

"Chicken soup" uses 'chicken' as an attributive noun to describe the type of soup.
"Sports car" features 'sports' as an attributive noun to specify the type of car.

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "attributive noun":