The simplest case is that in which a noun as final member is preceded by a qualifying adjective as prior member.

a. In this combination, both noun and adjective may be of any kind, verbal or otherwise. The accent is (as in the corresponding class of dependent noun-compounds: 1267) on the final syllable.

b. Thus, ajñātayakṣmá unknown disease, mahādhaná great wealth, kṣipraçyená swift hawk, kṛṣṇaçakuní black bird, dakṣiṇāgní southern fire, urukṣití wide abode,adharahanú lower jaw, itarajaná other folks, sarvātmán whole soul, ekavīrá sole hero, saptarṣí seven sages, tṛtīyasavaná third libation, ekonaviṅçatí a score diminished by one, jāgratsvapná waking sleep, yāvayatsakhá defending friend, apakṣīyamāṇapakṣá waning half.

c. There are not a few exceptions as regards accent. Especially, compounds with víçva (in composition, accented viçvá), which itself retains the accent: thus, viçvádevās all the gods, viçvámānuṣa every man. For words in ti, see below, 1287 d. Sporadic cases are madhyáṁdina, vṛṣkā́pi, both of which show an irregular shift of tone in the prior member; and a few others.

d. Instead of an adjective, the prior member is in a few cases a noun used appositionally, or with a quasi-adjective value. Thus, rājayakṣmá king-disease, brahmarṣi priest-sage,rājarṣi king-sage, rājadanta king-tooth, devajana god-folk, duhitṛjana daughter-person, çamīlatā creeper named çamī, muṣikākhyā the name "mouse", jayaçabda the word "conquer", ujhitaçabda the word "deserted"; or, more figuratively, gṛhanaraka house-hell (house which is a hell), çāpāgni curse-fire (consuming curse).

e. This group is of consequence, inasmuch as in possessive application it is greatly extended, and forms a numerous class of appositional compounds: see below, 1302.

f. This whole subdivision, of nouns with preceding qualifying adjectives, is not uncommon; but it is greatly (in AV., for example, more than five times) exceeded in frequency by the sub-class of possessives of the same form: see below, 1298.