The group of b a h u v r i h i compound nouns is not very numerous. The term b a h u v r i h i is borrowed from the grammarians of ancient India. It' literal meaning is ' much- riced '. It is used to designate possessive exocentric formations in which a person, animal or thing are metonymically named after some striking feature they possess, chiefly a striking feature in their appearance. This feature is in its turn expressed by the sum of meanings of compound 's immediate constituents. The formula of the b a h u v r i h i compound nouns is adjective stem + noun stem.

The following extract will illustrate the way b a h u v r i h i compounds may be coined:

I got discouraged with sitting all day in the backroom of a police station... ... with six assorted women and a man with a wooden leg. At the end of a week, we all knew each other 's life histories, including that of the woodenleg's uncle, who lived in Selsey and had to be careful of his diet. (M.Dickens).

Semantically the b a h u v r i h i are almost invariably characterized by a deprecative ironical emotional tone. C f. b i g w i g -  ' a person of importance ', b l a c k - s h i r t -  ' an Italian fascist',

f a t h e a d  - ' a dull stupid person', g r e e n h o r n - ' ignoramus', h i g h b r o w - ' a person who claims to be superior in intellect and culture' ,

l a z y - b o n e s - ' a lazy person '.