composer

American  

[kuhm-poh-zer] / kəmˈpoʊ zər /

noun

• composers
  plural

1. a person or thing that composes.

2. a person who writes music.

3. an author.

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composer British  

/ kəmˈpəʊzə /

noun

1. a person who composes music

2. a person or machine that composes anything, esp type for printing

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• composers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of composer

First recorded in 1555–65; compose + -er ¹

Explanation

A composer is an artist who writes music to be played or performed by musicians. A classical composer might work by writing out musical notation and trying things out on the piano. If you're a composer, you most likely write classical, jazz, music for film, or another type of primarily instrumental music, without lyrics. A writer of popular or rock music is more likely to be called a "songwriter." A composer might compose symphonies as a profession, or write short tunes as a hobby. In Old French, composer means "put together, arrange, or write," from com-, "with," and poser, "to place."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

composer composers

Stephen Barton, the BAFTA-nominated British composer credited with “score preparation” on the album, noted that if classical fans think of the music as an actor’s vanity project, they should think again.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Pintscher was enticed to the Salzburg Festival as part of this summer’s homage to the ageless Hungarian composer György Kurtág, who turned 100 this year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

When asked whether he saw himself as a composer who conducts or a conductor who composes, he simply laughed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

But their first act was promising, and a lunch with Kallman in New York further reassured the composer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Vivaldi’s legacy survived in the somewhat surprising influence he had on another, very different, composer.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

The regulator quickly confirmed that the works were by composers who really were dead and no fees were required.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

Amid all the fireworks and fanfare sure to mark the nation’s semiquincentennial this weekend, it’s worth remembering how sculptors, writers, composers and more have channeled the American character in works from throughout this country’s history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

My hope for this country: As a musician, all we try to do is to empathize with our audience and the composers, and so I think just more empathy.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

Yet despite several of these being substantial works by some of our most noted and venturesome composers, few bicentennial commissions have survived.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

All the composers of the next hundred years were affected by this profound change of purpose.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• writer