Compound Words - Alphabetics R-Z Quiz

Answer: Rainfall

Water from clouds = rain
Opposite of up = fall
Rain + fall = Rainfall

There is no clear consensus on the place with the most rainfall each year but there are several contenders for the title. Among these are Mount Wai-'ale-'ale on Kauai, the Colombian highlands, and Cherrapunji and Mawsynram in India. (Source: dandantheweatherman.com)

Answer: Shortcake

Opposite of tall = short
The thing your birthday candles goes on = cake
Short + cake = Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake animated shows orignally aired in the 1980s and made a comeback in 2003.

Answer: Thunderhead

Lightning's companion = thunder
What sits on your shoulders = head
Thunder + head = Thunderhead

Thunderheads are usually cumulonimbus clouds. Thunderhead is also a Marvel comics character.

Answer: Understand

Opposite of over = under
To rise from sitting = stand
Under + stand = Understand

The origins of the word understand are unclear but one explanation is that it comes from to "stand in the midst of". In this case under does not mean below but between or among.

Answer: Vineyard

A climbing plant = vine
A measurement equal to three feet = yard
Vine + yard = Vineyard

Vineyards are usually associated with the growing of grapes for wine.

Answer: Warfare

A conflict between nations = war
The price to ride the bus = fare
War + fare = Warfare

Warfare is different from war in that it encompasses the process of war and war refers to the actual conflict. Despite this difference the words are often used interchangeably.

Answer: Washroom

To clean something = wash
What the kitchen or den in your house is = room
Wash + room = Washroom

The word washroom is a chiefly American word from the beginning of the 1800s.

Answer: X-ray

The 24th letter of the alphabet = x
A narrow beam of light = ray
X + ray = X-ray

An x-ray is a form of radiation that allows a doctor to see inside your body. X-rays cannot penetrate lead.

Answer: Yardarm

A measurement equal to three feet = yard
Your upper limb = arm
Yard + arm = Yardarm

A yardarm is half of a yard, which in sailing is the spar or pole that a sail is held up by. A yard usually hangs from the mast right in its middle.

Answer: Zookeeper

A place where animals are kept = zoo
Another word for guard = keeper
Zoo + keeper = Zookeeper

A zookeeper is different from a zoologist in that a zookeeper takes care of the animals and a zoologist studies animals.