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Added 8 October 2026

compose

/kəmˈpəʊz/ verb

In Latin: compingō, compono Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about compose at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Form the substance of.
Greed and ambition composed his personality
Write music.
Beethoven composed nine symphonies
Produce a literary work.
She composed a poem

Origin

From Middle English composen, from Old French composer (“to compose, compound, adjust, settle”), from com- + poser, as an adaptation of Latin componere (“to put together, compose”), from com- (“together”) + ponere (“to put, place”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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