composition English · revision 5932

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1386|origins=la compositio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˌkɒm.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/, US /ˌkɑːm.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English composicioun, [[bor|fro|composicion|t=make-up; literary work; agreement, settlement]] and directly [[bor|la|compositiō|t=a putting together, connecting, arranging]] (accusative compositionem),^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) a noun of action from compositus, the past participle of [[m|la|compōnere|t=to put together]],^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from com “with, together” and pōnere “to place” (see [[position]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The action of putting together or combining, and the manner in which a thing is composed: about 1386 in the OED, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Forming something from various elements is from 1555,^(OED 1989) and the art of constructing sentences from the 1550s.^(Etymonline) A literary production, and also a writing exercise for students, is from about 1600,^(Etymonline) and orderly disposition from the 1590s, 1598 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) In philosophy composition was synthetic reasoning from 1570,^(OED 1989) and the fallacy of composition in logic is from 1724.^(OED 1989) The arrangement of parts in a picture is from 1706,^(Etymonline) and in printing the setting of type from 1832.^(Etymonline) A work of music, and the art of composing it, belong here too.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1386 – the act of combining.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1550s – the art of constructing sentences.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1570 – synthetic reasoning.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – a literary work; a school essay.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1706 – the arrangement of a picture.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1832 – typesetting.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The parts that something is made of, and how they are combined; make-up: ''the composition of the soil''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The act of combining parts to form a whole.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A piece of [[music]], writing or art, or the art of creating one.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The arrangement of parts in a [[painting]] or photograph.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A short essay written as a school exercise.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A mixture or compound.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(printing)'' The setting of type.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[compositional]]

+ * [[compositionally]]

+ * [[compositively]]

+ * [[decomposition]]

+ * [[photocomposition]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[compose]]

+ * [[composer]]

+ * [[composite]]

+ * [[compositionist]]

+ * [[compositor]]

+ * [[compound]]

+ * [[component]]

+ * [[position]]

+ * [[compost]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}