composition
nounUK /ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/ · US /ˌkɑm.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/
Etymology From Middle English composicioun, borrowed from Old French composicion, from Latin compositiō, compositiōnem.
20 senses
- 1The act of putting together; assembly.
- 2A mixture or compound; the result of composing.
- 3The proportion of different parts to make a whole.
- 4The general makeup of a thing or person.
- 5A puzzle created by the composer using chess pieces on a…
- 6An agreement or treaty used to settle differences; later…
- 7A payment of money in order to clear a liability or…
- 8A payment of fine in order to settle a (usually minor)…
- 9an agreement or compromise by which a creditor or group…
- 10An essay.
- 11The formation of compound words from separate words.
- 12A work of music, literature or art.
- 13Typesetting.
- 14Applying a function to the result of another.
- 15The compounding of two velocities or forces into a…
- 16Consistency; accord; congruity.
- 17Synthesis as opposed to analysis.
- 18The arrangement and flow of elements in a picture.
- 19Way to combine simple objects or data types into more…
- 20The characters, roles, weapons, etc. being used by a team.
1
The act of putting together; assembly.
2
A mixture or compound; the result of composing.
- Ste. What do'st thou know me for? Kent. A Knave, a Rascall, [...] one that would'st be a Baud in way of good service, and art nothing but the composition of a Kave, Begger, Coward, Pandar, and the Sonne and Heire of a Mungrill Bitch, one whom I will beate in to clamours whining, if thou deny'st the least sillable of thy addition.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 291, column 2:
- The firſt day of November was dedicated to the angel preſiding over fruits, ſeeds, &c. and was therefore named la mas ubhal, that is, the day of the apple fruit, and being pronounced lamasool, the English have corrupted the name to lambswool, a name they give to a compoſition made on this eve of roaſted apples, ſugar, and ale.1786, “Of Allhallow Eve, Named by the Irish Oidhche Shamhna”, in Charles Vallancey, editor, Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, volume III, Dublin: Luke White, pages 444-445:
3
The proportion of different parts to make a whole.
- And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 30:37:
4
The general makeup of a thing or person.
- John of Gaunt. O how that name befits my composition! Old Gaunt indeed, and gaunt in being old: Within me grief hath kept a tedious fast; And who abstains from meat that is not gaunt?1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene 1]:
- It seemed that the milk of human kindness had not been left out of his composition.1932, Frank Richards, The Magnet - Bunter's Night Out:
1 more example
- Discussion acknowledged the Network's difficulty in transforming its mostly white composition into a more multi-racial organization.1982 December 4, Sharon Page, “R2N2 Conference: Revitalizing the Movement”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 20, page 3:
5
Board games, Chess, Games A puzzle created by the composer using chess pieces on a chessboard, which presents the solver with a particular task.
6
Obsolete An agreement or treaty used to settle differences; later especially, an agreement to stop hostilities; a truce.
- It will stoope and yeeld upon better compositions to him that shall make head against it.1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 40, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
- If the Duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition with the king of Hungary, why then all the dukes fall upon the king.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], lines 1-3:
3 more examples
- That now Sweno, the Norways’ king, craves composition: Nor would we deign him burial of his men Till he disbursed at Saint Colme’s inch Ten thousand dollars to our general use.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
- with an incredible courage they advanced to the push of the Pike with the defendants, that with the like courage repulsed[…], that the Turks retired and fled into the Castle, from whence by a flag of truce they desired composition.1630, John Smith, True travels, Kupperman, published 1988, page 50:
- […] the Britons, by rendering the war thus bloody, seemed determined to cut off all hopes of peace or composition with the enemy.1754, David Hume, The History of England, volume I, London: T. Cadell, published 1773, page 8:
7
Obsolete A payment of money in order to clear a liability or obligation; a settling or fine.
- He hath perverted a young gentlewoman here in Florence, of a most chaste renown; and this night he fleshes his will in the spoil of her honour: he hath given her his monumental ring, and thinks himself made in the unchaste composition.c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
- That all and every person and persons already convicted or prosecuted in order to conviction of recusancy […] shall be thenceforth exempted and discharged from all the penalties, seizures, forfeitures, judgments, and executions, incurred by force of any of the aforesaid Statutes, without any composition, fee, or further charge whatsoever.1688, Parliament of England, Toleration Act 1688, section 3:
1 more example
- Insidious death! should his strong hand arrest, No composition sets the prisoner free.1742, [Edward Young], “Night the Second. On Time, Death, Friendship. […]”, in The Complaint: Or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], and T[homas] Cooper, […], →OCLC:
9
Law an agreement or compromise by which a creditor or group of creditors accepts partial payment from a debtor.
10
An essay.
11
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences The formation of compound words from separate words.
12
A work of music, literature or art.
- […] and how good Mrs. West could have written such books and collected so many hard words, with all her family cares, is still more a matter of astonishment. Composition seems to me impossible with a head full of joints of mutton and doses of rhubarb.1818, Jane Austen, A letter dated 8 September 1818
13
Media, Printing, Publishing Typesetting.
14
Mathematics, Sciences Applying a function to the result of another.
15
Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics The compounding of two velocities or forces into a single equivalent velocity or force.
16
Obsolete Consistency; accord; congruity.
- There is no composition in these news That gives them credit.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
17
Synthesis as opposed to analysis.
- The investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the method of composition.1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC:
18
Arts, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Photography The arrangement and flow of elements in a picture.
19
Way to combine simple objects or data types into more complex ones.
Object-oriented programming
20
Video games The characters, roles, weapons, etc. being used by a team.
- team composition
- weapon composition
- Synonyms
- configuration, constitution, composite, blend, melange, arrangement, composition, format, form, makeup, structure
- Derived terms
- chemical composition, cocomposition, composition algebra, composition book, composition notebook, composition cloth, composition fee, composition metal, composition of a felony, composition over inheritance, decomposition, ecocomposition, fallacy of composition, letter of composition, macrocomposition, nanocomposition, paracomposition, photocomposition, precomposition, pyrotechnic composition, recomposition, subcomposition, vinyl composition tile
- Related terms
- compose, composer, composing, composite, compositing, compositional, compositionism, compositionist, compositor
- Hyponyms
- form factor, musical composition, organization, physique, system
- Meronyms
- part