Learn English – Is it still an “ice cream cone” if it doesn’t have ice cream

attributive-nounsnouns

I had a discussion with some friends yesterday about whether the term "ice cream cone" describes:

  • Simply the cone itself or
  • The cone plus the ice cream

Upon looking in several online dictionaries, I found out that both are acceptable definitions. Is there any sort of rule in English that describes this sort of behavior?

For example, a soup bowl may be described as a bowl intended for holding soup. If you take a soup bowl and instead put candy in it, which of the following is it?

  • Soup bowl with candy in it
  • Bowl with candy in it
  • Candy bowl

Surely there are other examples besides "ice cream cone" and "soup bowl". I'm just curious at what point the term leaves noun-adjunct + noun territory and becomes its own accepted noun?

Best Answer

yes, the cone is an ice cream cone because it is a cone that can hold ice cream.

And it is a Soup Bowl with candy in it. You are describing the bowl to differentiate it from other bowls.

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