(initial capital letter) Architecture. noting or pertaining to one of the five classical orders, popular esp. since the beginning of the Renaissance but invented by the ancient Romans, in which the Roman Ionic and Corinthian orders are combined, so that four diagonally set Ionic volutes, variously ornamented, rest upon a bell of Corinthian acanthus leaves. Compare Corinthian(def. 2), Doric(def. 3), Ionic(def. 1), Tuscan(def. 2).
4.
Rocketry.
a.
(of a rocket or missile) having more than one stage.
b.
(of a solid propellant) composed of a mixture of fuel and oxidizer.
5.
Nautical. noting a vessel having frames of one material and shells and decking of another, esp. one having iron or steel frames with shells and decks planked.
6.
Mathematics. of or pertaining to a composite function or a composite number.
–noun
7.
something composite; a compound.
8.
Botany. a composite plant.
9.
a picture, photograph, or the like, that combines several separate pictures.
–verb (used with object)
10.
to make a composite of.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME (< MF) < L compositus (ptp. of compōnere to put together), equiv. to com-com-+ positus placed; see posit]
Botany Of, belonging to, or characteristic of the composite family.
CompositeArchitecture Of, relating to, or being in the Composite order.
n.
A structure or an entity made up of distinct components. See Synonyms at mixture.
A complex material, such as wood or fiberglass, in which two or more distinct, structurally complementary substances, especially metals, ceramics, glasses, and polymers, combine to produce structural or functional properties not present in any individual component.
Botany A composite plant.
Mathematics The application of one function to another. For example, if ƒ(x) = x2 and g(x) = x + 1, then the composite ƒ(g(x)) = (x + 1)2 and the composite g(ƒ(x)) = x2 + 1.
[French, from Old French, from Latin compositus, past participle of compōnere, to put together; see component.]
1563, from O.Fr. composite, from L. compositus, pp. of componere "to put together," from com- "together" + ponere "to place" (see position). The noun is attested from 1656.
Com*pos"i*t[ae]\, n. pl. [NL., from L. compositus made up of parts. See Composite.] (Bot.) A large family of dicotyledonous plants, having their flowers arranged in dense heads of many small florets and their anthers united in a tube. The daisy, dandelion, and asters, are examples.
Com*pos"ite\ (?; 277), a. [L. compositus made up of parts, p. p. of componere. See Compound, v. t., and cf. Compost.]1. Made up of distinct parts or elements; compounded; as, a composite language. Happiness, like air and water . . . is composite. --Landor. 2. (Arch.) Belonging to a certain order which is composed of the Ionic order grafted upon the Corinthian. It is called also the Roman or the Italic order, and is one of the five orders recognized by the Italian writers of the sixteenth century. See Capital. 3. (Bot.) Belonging to the order Composit[ae]; bearing involucrate heads of many small florets, as the daisy, thistle, and dandelion. Composite carriage, a railroad car having compartments of different classes. [Eng.] Composite number (Math.), one which can be divided exactly by a number exceeding unity, as 6 by 2 or 3. . Compositephotograph or portrait, one made by a combination, or blending, of several distinct photographs. --F. Galton. Composite sailing (Naut.), a combination of parallel and great circle sailing. Composite ship, one with a wooden casing and iron frame.
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