# composition

Pronunciation: say "kom-puh-ZISH-uhn" US /ˌkɑmpəˈzɪʃən/, UK /ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/

## Noun

1. The combination of elements or qualities present in someone or something.
   - Simple: The mix of parts that make up a thing or person.
   - _The committee's composition reflected a wide range of professional backgrounds._
   - _Geologists analyzed the chemical composition of the meteorite._
2. The relative amounts of the different parts that make up a whole.
   - Simple: The amount of each part that makes up a whole.
   - _The composition of the atmosphere is roughly four parts nitrogen to one part oxygen._
   - _Nutritionists describe the macronutrient composition of a meal as its balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrate._
3. Something created as a work of art, such as a musical piece, a written text, or a painting.
   - Simple: A piece of music, writing, or art that someone has made.
   - _The pianist premiered an ambitious composition for two keyboards._
   - _Critics praised the composition as her most mature work to date._
4. A mixture or compound; the material that results from combining parts.
   - Simple: A mixture made by combining different things.
   - _The dentist filled the cavity with a tooth-colored composition._
   - _Early roofing materials were made from a tar-based composition._
5. A piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one written as a school exercise.
   - Simple: A short piece of writing about a subject, often done for school.
   - _Each student handed in a composition on a book they had read._
   - _His English composition explored the theme of friendship._
6. The act or process of putting parts together; assembly.
   - Simple: The act of putting parts together to make something.
   - _The composition of the symphony occupied him for years._
   - _The composition of the anthology involved selecting and ordering dozens of poems._
7. The arrangement and flow of visual elements within a picture.
   - Simple: The way the parts of a picture are arranged.
   - _The instructor critiqued the composition of each student's photograph._
   - _She balanced the composition by placing the horizon along the lower third._
8. The formation of compound words by combining separate words.
   - Simple: Making new words by joining two or more words together.
   - _German is well known for productive composition, stringing several roots into a single long word._
   - _Through composition, "fire" and "fighter" combine to form "firefighter."_
9. The operation of applying one function to the result of another.
   - Simple: Joining two functions so the answer from one becomes the input for the other.
   - _Function composition produces a new function from two existing ones._
   - _Students computed the composition of f and g by substituting one into the other._
10. The building up of a whole by combining simpler parts, in contrast to analysis, which breaks a whole into its parts.
   - Simple: The act of building something up from parts, instead of breaking it down.
   - _The proof relied on composition, combining known results into a single new theorem._
   - _Her method favored composition over analysis, building the model up from simple rules._
11. A way of combining simple objects or data types to form more complex ones.
   - Simple: A way to build complex objects by holding simpler ones inside them.
   - _Using composition, the engine class holds a fuel-tank object rather than inheriting from one._
   - _The team favored composition over inheritance to keep their classes flexible._
12. In mechanics, the combining of two velocities or forces into a single velocity or force having the same effect.
   - Simple: The way two forces or speeds combine into one that has the same effect.
   - _The composition of the two forces gave a single resultant pointing northeast._
   - _By composition of velocities, the boat's path across the river bends downstream._
13. The setting of type in preparation for printing.
   - Simple: The work of setting up letters and words so a page is ready to print.
   - _The composition of the page took the typesetter most of the morning._
   - _Errors crept in during composition and had to be corrected before the page went to press._
14. An agreement by which a creditor, or group of creditors, accepts partial payment from a debtor in settlement of a debt.
   - Simple: A deal where people who are owed money agree to take only part of it.
   - _The bankrupt merchant reached a composition with his creditors, paying sixty cents on the dollar._
   - _Under the composition, each lender agreed to write off half of the outstanding balance._

## Noun

15. A sum paid as a settlement or fine to clear a debt or other obligation. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A payment made to clear a debt or pay a fine.
   - _The tenant offered a composition of ten pounds to be free of the year's rent._
   - _He paid a composition to the crown rather than face forfeiture of his lands._
16. A settlement or treaty that resolves a dispute, and in later use especially an agreement to halt hostilities. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: An agreement made to settle a quarrel or to stop fighting.
   - _The two princes signed a composition that ended the long border war._
   - _After months of raids, the towns reached a composition and laid down their arms._
17. The quality of being consistent; accord or congruity among parts. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A state of things fitting together or agreeing well.
18. Money that resolves a criminal charge, usually a minor one, when paid as a fine. *(obsolete, Singapore)*
   - Simple: A payment made to settle a small criminal charge.
   - _The poacher paid a composition to the magistrate and avoided trial._
   - _For a brawl in the market, a small composition was enough to close the case._

## Origin

The word came into Middle English as composicioun, borrowed from Old French composicion, which came from the Latin compositiō, compositiōnem.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/composition (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).