composition

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to: navigation, search

Contents

[edit] English

Wikipedia has an article on:

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

From Latin compositiō.

[edit] Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA: /ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/
  • (file)

[edit] Noun

composition (plural compositions)

  1. The proportion of different parts to make a whole. [from 14th c.]
  2. The general makeup of something. [from 14th c.]
  3. (obsolete) An agreement or treaty used to settle differences; later especially, an agreement to stop hostilities; a truce. [14th-19th c.]
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, I.40:
      It will stoope and yeeld upon better compositions to him that shall make head against it.
    • 1630, John Smith, True travels, in Kupperman 1988, p. 50:
      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.
  4. (obsolete) An agreement to pay money in order to clear a liability or obligation; a settling. [16th-19th c.]
    • 1745, Edward Young, Night-Thoughts, II:
      Insidious death! should his strong hand arrest, / No composition sets the prisoner free.
  5. A mixture or compound; the result of composing. [from 16th c.]
  6. An essay. [from 16th c.]
  7. (linguistics) The formation of compound words from separate words. [from 16th c.]
  8. A work of music, literature or art. [from 17th c.]
  9. (printing) typesetting. [from 19th c.]

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Related terms

[edit] Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Views
Actions
Navigation
Toolbox
In other languages