compact mirror
1
2.4
- noun
- /ˈkɒmpækt ˈmɪrər/
:
espejo compacto
- She fumbles in her purse, takes out a compact mirror, and checks her face.
- lipstick and a compact mirror
Examples
-
Before going out, he always checks his hair in a compact mirror.
-
She flipped open her compact mirror to check her makeup before the party.
-
I looked at myself one last time in the compact mirror.
Fiction book (1992) -
A compact mirror, where we see eye shadow being applied to a beautiful brown eye.
Fiction book (1993) -
I sat between her legs and looked into a compact mirror.
Fiction book (1992) -
She flipped open a compact mirror and rubbed lipstick over her lips.
Fiction book (1998) -
She checks herself in a compact mirror, smooths her hair, and licks the lipstick off her teeth.
Fiction book (2000) -
The girls gathered cigarettes and bags, jangled charm bracelets, and checked for lipstick on their teeth in compact mirrors.
Fiction book (1997) -
The small compact mirror fits perfectly in her handbag, making it easy to carry.
Synonyms
3
2.1
A small mirror with a handle that you hold to see your face
1
2.5
A small mirror people carry in a bag or pocket to check their appearance
Antonyms
How Portable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a small, portable mirror' is directly and compositionally derived from 'compact' (small / handheld case) + 'mirror' (reflective surface). This is a straightforward noun–noun compound following common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Compact mirror comes from the small compact case that used to hold face powder and a mirror, a tiny folding box people could carry in a bag. So the name now means 'a small, portable mirror' you can easily take with you.