Two studies examined whether preschoolers use whole-part juxtaposition to accurately interpret novel part terms. Results confirmed that children do use juxtaposition to guide learning of novel part terms and that such use was not due to memory effects nor to recognition of the grammatical frame accompanying juxtaposition. Children readily used juxtaposition in a novel, gestural format, suggesting that pragmatic understanding is at the heart of children's sensitivity to whole-part juxtaposition. (Author/KB)