WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
de•com•pose /ˌdikəmˈpoʊz/USA pronunciation
v. [no obj], -posed, -pos•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to separate into the essential parts:Salt decomposes into sodium and chlorine.
- Microbiologyto rot; become decayed:the smell of decomposing vegetation.
de•com•po•si•tion
(dē′kom pə zish′ən),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- the act or process of decomposing.
- the state of being decomposed;
decay.
- French décomposition, derivative of décomposer to decompose; see composition
- probably 1650–60
de•com•pose
(dē′kəm pōz′),USA pronunciation v., -posed, -pos•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
de′com•pos′a•ble, adj.
de′com•pos′a•bil′i•ty, n.
v.t.
- to separate or resolve into constituent parts or elements;
disintegrate:The bacteria decomposed the milk into its solid and liquid elements.
v.i.
- Microbiologyto rot;
putrefy:The egg began to decompose after a day in the sun.
- French décomposer, equivalent. to dé- dis-1 + composer to compose
- 1745–55
de′com•pos′a•bil′i•ty, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged distill, fractionate, analyze.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See decay.