Grammar Lessons: Attributive Nouns - Definition And Use (Easy Explanations With Examples)

What Are Attributive Nouns?

Attributive nouns – also called noun adjuncts, attributive nouns, or qualifying nouns – are nouns that function as adjectives as in “chicken soup, field player, ladies room”

Before we give more examples of attributive nouns, let’s look at the difference between nouns and adjectives.

Nouns vs Adjectives

A noun is a part of speech that is used to name a person, place, thing, quality, or action.

An adjective is another part of speech that gives us more information about nouns: Adjectives modify nouns.

Examples:

Adjectives	Nouns
He is a great man.	I like my job.
He climbed high mountains.	He climbed the Everest Mountain
She takes beautiful pitures.	She is a wise lady.
He leads a happy life.	He told a funny story.

The adjectives and nouns are in bold!

Nouns as Adjectives

Sometimes a noun can modify another noun attributively. When this is the case, these nouns are referred to as attributive nouns. These nouns are optional because they can be removed without affecting the grammar of the sentence.

Consider the following examples:

Chicken soup.
Field player.
Race car.
Ladies room.

The nouns ” chicken, field, race, ladies” in the above examples function as attributive nouns.

Attributive Nouns VS. Adjectives

It might be a bit difficult to understand the difference between attributive nouns and adjectives, but here are three simple rules to make the distinctions:

1. An attributive noun can only describe a noun when it’s right before it:

Correct: It’s a horror movie.
Incorrect: ~~It’s a movie that is horror.~~
- Explanation: The attributive noun “horror” must be right before the noun it describes, “movie.” It doesn’t work if the order is switched.

2. Unlike adjectives, attributive nouns don’t have different forms to show comparisons (comparatives and superlatives).

The adjective “tall” may have comparative and superlative forms: “taller“ and “tallest“.
The attributive boun “horror” has no comparative or superlative.

3. Sometimes regular adjectives may be used with attributive nouns to describe a noun. When this is the case, the adjective always comes first:

A beautiful gold necklace.
A cold iron chair.

Attributive nouns function similarly to adjectives, but they remain fundamentally nouns. They have adopted certain aspects of adjectives, specifically the ability to describe other nouns.

Attributive Nouns VS Nominalized Adjectives

A distinction between attributive nouns and nominalized adjectives should be made:

Attributive nouns are nouns that function as adjectives as in “chicken soup”
Nominalized adjectives are adjectives that function as nouns as in “the French.

Examples of Attributive Nouns

Here is a list of 20 sentences with attributive nouns:

The sunflower field stretched for miles.
She wore a stunning diamond necklace to the party.
We watched the sports car zoom down the highway.
The ocean waves crashed against the shore.
He played his favorite songs on the guitar strings.
I ordered a delicious chocolate cake for dessert.
The mountain trail offered breathtaking views.
The history book provided valuable insights into the past.
Children played in the school playground during recess.
She admired the elegant design of the vintage dress.
The hospital staff worked tirelessly to care for patients.
The gold watch was a cherished family heirloom.
The leather jacket kept him warm in the chilly weather.
The library shelves were filled with classic novels.
The beach vacation was filled with relaxation and fun.
She purchased a stylish leather handbag to complete her outfit.
The technology conference showcased the latest innovations.
The autumn leaves created a vibrant carpet in the park.
His silver watch gleamed in the sunlight.
The competitive spirit of the local baseball league brought the community together every weekend.

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