What is the term for a word that has two or more roots?

A compound word is formed when two or more root words are combined to create a new word with a distinct meaning. For example, the words “tooth” and “brush” come together to form “toothbrush.” Each root word retains its original meaning while contributing to the overall definition of the compound word.

In contrast, a combining form is typically a root word combined with a connecting vowel, often used in medical terminology to ease pronunciation. A root word refers to the fundamental part of a word that gives it meaning, but it does not inherently include more than one root. A prefix is added to the beginning of a root word to modify its meaning, but again, it does not signify the combination of multiple roots.