compositor

[ kuhm-poz-i-ter ]

noun

1. a person who sets the type or text for printing.

compositor

/ kəmˌpɒzɪˈtɔːrɪəl; kəmˈpɒzɪtə /

noun

1. printing a person who sets and corrects type and generally assembles text and illustrations for printing Sometimes shortened tocomp

Derived Forms

• compositorial, adjective

Other Words From

• com·pos·i·to·ri·al [k, uh, m-poz-i-, tawr, -ee-, uh, l, -, tohr, -], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of compositor¹

1325–75 for earlier sense “referee, arbiter”; 1560–70 for current sense; Middle English < Latin: one who composes, equivalent to composi-, variant stem of compōnere ( component, composite ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

One of these was an old compositor who had "held a case" in that office for many years.

From Project Gutenberg

Companies were as hopelessly jumbled and mixed as a galley of type that a compositor has dropped downstairs.

From Project Gutenberg

Thence the proof passes back again to the compositor, who corrects the type in accordance with the proof-reader's markings.

From Project Gutenberg

The portion thus given each compositor is called a "take," and its length is determined by circumstances.

From Project Gutenberg

If many such occur, the proof is again passed to the compositor for further correction and the taking of fresh proofs.

From Project Gutenberg