Composition
/ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/
Definitions
4 meaningsThe act of combining things to form a whole; the way in which something is put together or arranged.
/ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/
The act of combining parts or elements to form a whole.
The teacher praised the composition of the student's essay.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're building with LEGOs. The composition is how you put all the bricks together to make a cool spaceship or castle. It's about arranging the pieces.
👶 For kids: Putting things together to make something new!
More Examples
The composition of the band's new song is innovative and fresh.
The composition of the building's materials was tested for durability.
How It's Used
"The artist carefully considered the composition of the painting, balancing colors and forms."
"He wrote the orchestral composition for his graduation project."
"The student received a good grade on his composition."
A piece of writing, especially a short essay, often written as an assignment.
/ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/
Something that is composed or written.
She received a high grade on her composition.
💡 Simply: It’s like writing an essay or a short story for school. You have to put words together to express your ideas.
👶 For kids: Something you write, like a story or an essay for school.
More Examples
The music teacher assigned a composition project to the class.
The writer's latest composition was praised by critics.
How It's Used
"The author's latest composition is a collection of short stories."
"Students must submit a composition as part of their coursework."
The way in which something is made up; the ingredients or elements of something.
/ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/
The nature of something's ingredients or constituents; the way in which something is made up.
The composition of the soil determines what plants can grow there.
💡 Simply: It’s like figuring out what something is made of. What are all the parts that come together to create it?
👶 For kids: What something is made of, like the parts of a toy.
More Examples
Understanding the composition of the alloy is crucial to its strength.
The scientific study revealed the exact composition of the unknown substance.
How It's Used
"The composition of the Earth's atmosphere is primarily nitrogen and oxygen."
"Scientists analyzed the chemical composition of the substance."
A piece of music, especially an original one.
/ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/
A piece of music; a musical work.
The composer's latest composition was a symphony for orchestra.
💡 Simply: It's a piece of music that someone has created, like a song or symphony.
👶 For kids: A song or music that someone wrote.
More Examples
The music students studied the structure of the classical compositions.
The audience was moved by the composer's beautiful composition.
How It's Used
"He dedicated his life to the study of musical composition."
Idioms & expressions
composition of the problem
The detailed breakdown or components of a problem to be addressed.
"Before offering any solutions, it's crucial to understand the composition of the problem."
From Middle French *composition*, from Latin *compositio* (“a putting together, arrangement”), from *componere* (“to put together, compose”), from *com-* (“with, together”) + *ponere* (“to put, place”).
The word 'composition' has been used for centuries, reflecting changes in how humans describe the creative process and analysis of matter.
Memory tip
Think of a recipe: the composition of ingredients creates a dish.