junkyard
UK[ˈdʒʌŋkjɑːd]US[ˈdʒʌŋkjɑːrd]
n
A place where old or useless things, especially old cars and machines, are collected and often sold for their materials.
Morpheme Breakdown
junk
yard
junk
yard
Etymology
The word 'junkyard' is a transparent compound formed from two native English elements. 'Junk' entered English in the 14th century from Old French 'junc', meaning 'old rope', a nautical term for worn-out cordage, which was later generalized to any discarded waste. 'Yard' is a foundational Germanic word from Old English 'geard', meaning an enclosed piece of ground. The compound 'junkyard' logically and literally describes a yard or plot of land designated for storing junk, a meaning that solidified in American English during the early 20th century with the rise of the automobile and industrial scrap industries.
Analysis
Structure: junk + yard
junk: Origin: Middle English (Jonke). Functional role: The core noun meaning worthless or discarded material.
yard: Origin: Old English (geard). Functional role: A noun suffix denoting an enclosed area or piece of ground.
Examples
The old refrigerator ended up in the junkyard.
He found a usable car part at the local junkyard.
The city plans to clean up the abandoned junkyard.