Learn English – Is “release date” grammatically correct

adjective-phrasesadjectivesattributive-nouns

Why I always heard something like "Iphone release date and price unveiled". Shouldn't it be "be released" by someone? (Iphone can't release anything itself as a lifeless object)

I look up some the online dictionaries, none of it says "release" can be used as "adjective" (in order to describe "date"), and even if it can, it should be "the release date of Iphone and price unveiled".

What am I missing?

Best Answer

Yes, it is.

Here's why:

  • Nouns can sometimes be used like adjectives.

    From Wikipedia

    Noun adjuncts are nouns that modify other nouns.

    (e.g. language learners, man eater, work clothes, chicken soup, etc.)

  • How does this work for three nouns? (Iphone + release + date)

    They work for as many nouns as you like.†

    (e.g. baseball game ticket price increase proposal, waste water treatment process)

    These are called noun chains. Here, only the last word functions as a noun.

  • Therefore, "Iphone release date" can be parsed as:

    (Iphone->(release->date))

    And yes; this can be rephrased to:

    the date of release of the Iphone

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