In linguistics, an evocative, descriptive compound word often comprising an adjective then noun, or two nouns in which the first part (A) describes the second (B), to create a word describing something else which has a “B that is A”. The word itself comes from Sanscrit, बहुव्रीहि, the two parts meaning “much rice/having much rice” pertaining to a wealthy landowner. Its first known use was in 1846.
In English there are many examples, slang or formal, sometimes derogatory, sometimes praising, but always inventively descriptive, some of which can also be a form of metaphor or even proper names … highbrow, white-collar, blue-collar, Bluebeard, Bigfoot, sabretooth, lowlife, redhead, Redcoat, Yellowcoat, bluestocking, yellow-belly, half-wit, the fabric houndstooth, gadabout, or turnkey.
More on this here from the entertaining etymological podcast Butter No Parsnips:
Feel free to share anything in relation to these or other bahuvrihi examples, in music or wider culture, such as from film, art, or other contexts in comments below.
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