composition
noun
com·po·si·tion
ˌkäm-pə-ˈzi-shən 
1
a
: the act or process of composing
specifically
: arrangement into specific proportion or relation and especially into artistic form
the painting's unique composition
b(1)
: the arrangement of type for printing
hand composition
(2)
: the production of type or typographic characters (as in photocomposition) arranged for printing
2
3
: mutual settlement or agreement
The two parties came to a composition.
4
: a product of mixing or combining various elements or ingredients
a composition of rubber and cork
5
: an intellectual creation: such as
a
: a piece of writing
especially
: a school exercise in the form of a brief essay
wrote a composition on the role of the police in our society
b
: a written piece of music especially of considerable size and complexity
Her composition for piano and flute was played at the recital.
6
: the quality or state of being compound
7
: the operation of forming a composite function
also
: composite function
compositionally
adverb
Examples of composition in a Sentence
the changing composition of the country's population
the composition of a chemical compound
The teacher reminded us to hand in our compositions at the end of class.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ramses aims to conduct a before-and-after-flyby analysis of the asteroid and features such as its surface characteristics, composition, orbit and more.
—
Andrew Jones, Space.com, 30 May 2025
The clean ingredients and thoughtful composition show that Dossier put real care into creating something special.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 May 2025
It's packed with health and fitness features, including ECG, body composition, blood oxygen saturation, sleep tracking, VO2, and more than 95 different workout modes.
—Cierra Cowan May 28, PC Magazine, 28 May 2025
The choice and composition of shots seem conceived along similar lines.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for composition
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Andrew Jones, Space.com, 30 May 2025
The clean ingredients and thoughtful composition show that Dossier put real care into creating something special.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 30 May 2025
It's packed with health and fitness features, including ECG, body composition, blood oxygen saturation, sleep tracking, VO2, and more than 95 different workout modes.
—Cierra Cowan May 28, PC Magazine, 28 May 2025
The choice and composition of shots seem conceived along similar lines.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for composition
Cite this Entry
“Composition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/composition. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
composition
noun
com·po·si·tion
ˌkäm-pə-ˈzish-ən
1
: the act or process of composing
2
: the manner in which the parts of a thing are put together : makeup
the composition of a painting
3
: the elements of a compound
the composition of rubber
4
: a product of combining ingredients : combination
a composition made of several different metals
5
: a literary, musical, or artistic production
especially
: a short piece of writing done as a school exercise
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