decompose

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See also: décomposé and décompose

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French décomposer. Equivalent to de- +‎ compose.

Pronunciation

Verb

decompose (third-person singular simple present decomposes, present participle decomposing, simple past and past participle decomposed)

  1. (transitive) To separate or break down (something) into its components.
    Synonyms: disintegrate, fragment
    Antonyms: compose; assemble; recompose
    Coordinate term: disassemble
    Various fungi can decompose wood.
    Our team decomposed this task into several subtasks that could be successfully distributed.
  2. (intransitive) To rot, decay or putrefy.
    Synonym: break down
    Plastics can take centuries to decompose.
    • 2025 February 19, Mike Lewis, “Tragedy at Moorgate”, in RAIL, number 1029, page 59, about the Moorgate tube crash:
      Nor had the post mortem on Newson's body revealed any illness or other physical condition that might have prevented him from applying the brake, although after four days in the oven-like heat of the wreckage, the body was so badly decomposed as to make any reliable post mortem results unlikely.

Derived terms

Translations

• depose, decompose

Italian

Verb

decompose

  1. third-person singular past historic of decomporre
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