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com·prise 
Audio Help [kuhm-prahyz] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
Audio Help [kuhm-prahyz] Pronunciation Key –verb (used with object), -prised, -pris·ing.
—Idiom
| 1. | to include or contain: The Soviet Union comprised several socialist republics. |
| 2. | to consist of; be composed of: The advisory board comprises six members. |
| 3. | to form or constitute: Seminars and lectures comprised the day's activities. |
| 4. | be comprised of, to consist of; be composed of: The sales network is comprised of independent outlets and chain stores. |
[Origin: 1400–50; late ME comprisen < MF compris (ptp. of comprendre) < L comprehénsus; see comprehension]
] —Related forms
com·pris·a·ble, adjective
com·pris·al, noun
—Usage note Comprise has had an interesting history of sense development. In addition to its original senses, dating from the 15th century, “to include” and “to consist of” (The United States of America comprises 50 states), comprise has had since the late 18th century the meaning “to form or constitute” (Fifty states comprise the United States of America). Since the late 19th century it has also been used in passive constructions with a sense synonymous with that of one of its original meanings “to consist of, be composed of”: The United States of America is comprised of 50 states. These later uses are often criticized, but they occur with increasing frequency even in formal speech and writing.
” (The United States of America comprises 50 states), comprise has had since the late 18th century the meaning “to form or constitute” (Fifty states comprise the United States of America). Since the late 19th century it has also been used in passive constructions with a sense synonymous with that of one of its original meanings “to consist of, be composed of”: The United States of America is comprised of 50 states. These later uses are often criticized, but they occur with increasing frequency even in formal speech and writing.| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
comprise
To learn more about comprise visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| com·prise
Audio Help (kəm-prīz') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. com·prised, com·pris·ing, com·pris·es
[Middle English comprisen, from Old French compris, past participle of comprendre, to include, from Latin comprehendere, comprēndere; see comprehend.] com·pris'a·ble adj. Usage Note: The traditional rule states that the whole comprises the parts and the parts compose the whole. In strict usage: The Union comprises 50 states. Fifty states compose (or constitute or make up) the Union. Even though careful writers often maintain this distinction, comprise is increasingly used in place of compose, especially in the passive: The Union is comprised of 50 states. Our surveys show that opposition to this usage is abating. In the 1960s, 53 percent of the Usage Panel found this usage unacceptable; in 1996, only 35 percent objected. See Usage Note at include. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
comprise
1423, from O.Fr. compris, pp. of comprendre "to contain, comprise," from L. comprehendere (see comprehend).
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| comprise | |
verb | |
| 1. | be composed of; "The land he conquered comprised several provinces"; "What does this dish consist of?" [syn: consist] |
| 2. | include or contain; have as a component; "A totally new idea is comprised in this paper"; "The record contains many old songs from the 1930's" [syn: incorporate] |
| 3. | form or compose; "This money is my only income"; "The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance"; "These constitute my entire belonging"; "The children made up the chorus"; "This sum represents my entire income for a year"; "These few men comprise his entire army" [syn: constitute] |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
comprise [kəmˈpraiz] verb
to contain or consist of
Example: Her family comprises two sons and a daughter.
Example: Her family comprises two sons and a daughter.
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| Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd. |
Comprise
Com`pre*hend"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Comprehended; p. pr. & vb. n. Comprehending.] [L. comprehendere, comprehensum; com- + prehendere to grasp, seize; prae before + hendere (used only in comp.). See Get, and cf. Comprise.]1. To contain; to embrace; to include; as, the states comprehended in the Austrian Empire. Who hath . . . comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure. --Is. xl. 12. 2. To take in or include by construction or implication; to comprise; to imply. Comprehended all in this one word, Discretion. --Hobbes. And if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying. --Rom. xiii. 9. 3. To take into the mind; to grasp with the understanding; to apprehend the meaning of; to understand. At a loss to comprehend the question. --W. Irwing. Great things doeth he, which we can not comprehend. --Job. xxxvii. 5. Syn: To contain; include; embrace; comprise; inclose; grasp; embody; involve; imply; apprehend; imagine; conceive; understand. See Apprehend.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
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