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composition
6 dictionary results for: Composition
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
com·po·si·tion       [kom-puh-zish-uhn] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole.
2.the resulting state or product.
3.manner of being composed; structure: This painting has an orderly composition.
4.makeup; constitution: His moral composition was impeccable.
5.an aggregate material formed from two or more substances: a composition of silver and tin.
6.a short essay written as a school exercise.
7.the act or process of producing a literary work.
8.an academic course for teaching the techniques of clear, expository writing.
9.the art of putting words and sentences together in accordance with the rules of grammar and rhetoric.
10.a piece of music.
11.the art of composing music.
12.Fine Arts. the organization or grouping of the different parts of a work of art so as to achieve a unified whole.
13.Grammar. the formation of compounds or derivatives: the composition of “aircraft” from “air” and “craft.”
14.a settlement by mutual agreement.
15.an agreement or compromise, esp. one by which a creditor or group of creditors accepts partial payment from a debtor.
16.a sum of money so paid.
17.Printing.
a.the setting up of type for printing.
b.Also called pagination. the makeup of pages for printing.
18.Mathematics. the process of making a composite function of two given functions.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME composicioun < AF < L compositiōn- (s. of compositiō), equiv. to composit(us) (see composite) + -iōn- -ion]

—Related forms
com·po·si·tion·al, adjective
com·po·si·tion·al·ly, adverb
com·pos·i·tive       [kuhm-poz-i-tiv] Pronunciation Key, adjective
com·pos·i·tive·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
com·po·si·tion       (kŏm'pə-zĭsh'ən)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
    1. The combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole.
    2. The manner in which such parts are combined or related.
    3. General makeup: the changing composition of the electorate.
    4. The result or product of composing; a mixture or compound.
    5. The art or act of composing a musical or literary work.
    6. A work of music, literature, or art, or its structure or organization.
  2. Arrangement of artistic parts so as to form a unified whole.
    1. The art or act of composing a musical or literary work.
    2. A work of music, literature, or art, or its structure or organization.
  4. A short essay, especially one written as an academic exercise.
  5. Law A settlement whereby the creditors of a debtor about to enter bankruptcy agree, in return for some financial consideration, usually proffered immediately, to the discharge of their respective claims on receipt of payment which is in a lesser amount than that actually owed on the claim.
  6. Linguistics The formation of compounds from separate words.
  7. Printing Typesetting.


[Middle English composicioun, from Old French composition, from Latin compositiō, compositiōn-, from compositus, past participle of compōnere, to put together; see component.]

com'po·si'tion·al adj., com'po·si'tion·al·ly adv.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
composition

noun
1. the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole; "harmonious composition is essential in a serious work of art" 
2. the way in which someone or something is composed [syn: constitution] 
3. a mixture of ingredients 
4. a musical work that has been created; "the composition is written in four movements" [syn: musical composition] 
5. musical creation [syn: composing] 
6. the act of creating written works; "writing was a form of therapy for him"; "it was a matter of disputed authorship" [syn: writing] 
7. art and technique of printing with movable type [syn: typography] 
8. an essay (especially one written as an assignment); "he got an A on his composition" 
9. something that is created by arranging several things to form a unified whole; "he envied the composition of their faculty" 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: com·po·si·tion
Function: noun
: an agreement between an insolvent debtor and several creditors whereby partial payment of the debts discharges in full the original obligations —compare ACCORD, COMPROMISE

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

composition
1. function composition.
2. typesetting.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Composition

Com`po*si"tion\, n. [F. composition, fr. L. compositio. See Composite.]

1. The act or art of composing, or forming a whole or integral, by placing together and uniting different things, parts, or ingredients. In specific uses: (a) The invention or combination of the parts of any literary work or discourse, or of a work of art; as, the composition of a poem or a piece of music. "The constant habit of elaborate composition." --Macaulay. (b) (Fine Arts) The art or practice of so combining the different parts of a work of art as to produce a harmonious whole; also, a work of art considered as such. See 4, below. (c) The act of writing for practice in a language, as English, Latin, German, etc. (d) (Print.) The setting up of type and arranging it for printing.

2. The state of being put together or composed; conjunction; combination; adjustment.

View them in composition with other things. --I. Watts.

The elementary composition of bodies. --Whewell.

3. A mass or body formed by combining two or more substances; as, a chemical composition.

A composition that looks . . . like marble. --Addison.

4. A literary, musical, or artistic production, especially one showing study and care in arrangement; -- often used of an elementary essay or translation done as an educational exercise.

5. Consistency; accord; congruity. [Obs.]

There is no composition in these news That gives them credit. --Shak.

6. Mutual agreement to terms or conditions for the settlement of a difference or controversy; also, the terms or conditions of settlement; agreement.

Thus we are agreed: I crave our composition may be written. --Shak.

7. (Law) The adjustment of a debt, or avoidance of an obligation, by some form of compensation agreed on between the parties; also, the sum or amount of compensation agreed upon in the adjustment.

Compositions for not taking the order of knighthood. --Hallam.

Cleared by composition with their creditors. --Blackstone.

8. Synthesis as opposed to analysis.

The investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the method of composition. --Sir I. Newton.

Composition cloth, a kind of cloth covered with a preparation making it waterproof.

Composition deed, an agreement for composition between a debtor and several creditors.

Composition plane (Crystallog.), the plane by which the two individuals of a twin crystal are united in their reserved positions.

Composition of forces (Mech.), the finding of a single force (called the resultant) which shall be equal in effect to two or more given forces (called the components) when acting in given directions. --Herbert.

Composition metal, an alloy resembling brass, which is sometimes used instead of copper for sheathing vessels; -- also called Muntz metal and yellow metal.

Composition of proportion (Math.), an arrangement of four proportionals so that the sum of the first and second is to the second as the sum of the third and fourth to the fourth.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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