Attributive Nouns

What are Attributive Nouns?

Attributive Nouns are also called Noun Adjuncts. They are nouns we use to modify other nouns. The resulting phrase is called a Compound noun.

examples:

color pen

sling bag

highlighter pen

shower curtain

bath-house

thesis statement

firewoman

The examples above are all Compound Nouns. The bolded nouns are the Attributive Nouns, and they modify the other nouns that follow them right after.  They describe the nouns that they attribute themselves to.

example:

color pen

Color pen is a Compound Noun. Both "color" and "pen" are nouns. "Color" is the Attributive Noun, and it describes the noun it attributes to—the "pen". It gives more information that this is a "coloring" kind of pen used for art.