# comprise

Pronunciation: say "kuhm-PRYZ" /kəmˈpɹaɪz/

## Verb

1. To be made up of; to consist of, typically as a full listing of the parts that something contains.
   - Simple: To be made up of a set of parts or members.
   - _These collections comprise rare manuscripts gathered over two centuries._
   - _The novel comprises three interlocking narratives set in different decades._
2. To make up or constitute a whole; to be the parts that together form something.
   - Simple: To be the parts that, taken together, make up something larger.
   - _Eight founding families comprised the original settlement on the river._
   - _Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen comprise the bulk of organic matter._
3. To include or contain as a minimum, specifying the essential elements an invention must have while leaving room for additional ones.
   - Simple: To include a set of parts as the smallest required, while allowing for more.
   - _The independent claim comprises a frame, a motor, and a mounting bracket, but does not exclude other components._
   - _Drafters word claims to comprise the minimal elements so competitors cannot avoid infringement by adding features._

## Origin

From Middle English comprisen, from Old French compris, the past participle of comprendre, which comes from Latin comprehendere ("to comprehend"). It is related to words like apprise, reprise, and surprise.

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