compost

American  

[kom-pohst] / ˈkɒm poʊst /

noun

1. a mixture of various decaying organic substances, as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil.

2. a composition; compound.

---

verb (used with object)

• composts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• composted,
  past participle,  past
• composting
  present participle

1. to use in compost; make compost of.

   to compost manure and kitchen scraps.

2. to apply compost to (soil).

verb (used without object)

• composts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• composted,
  past participle,  past
• composting
  present participle

1. to make compost.

   Shredded leaves will compost easily.

compost British  

/ ˈkɒmpɒst /

noun

1. a mixture of organic residues such as decomposed vegetation, manure, etc, used as a fertilizer

2. a mixture, normally of plant remains, peat, charcoal, etc, in which plants are grown, esp in pots

3. rare a compound or mixture

---

verb

1. to make (vegetable matter) into compost

2. to fertilize with compost

compost Scientific  

/ kŏm′pōst′ /

1. A mixture of decayed or decaying organic matter used to fertilize soil. Compost is usually made by gathering plant material, such as leaves, grass clippings, and vegetable peels, into a pile or bin and letting it decompose as a result of the action of aerobic bacteria, fungi, and other organisms.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• composter
  noun
• compostable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• composting
  present
• composted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• compost
  simple
• composts
  simple
• have composted
  perfect
• has composted
  perfect
• am composting
  progressive
• are composting
  progressive
• is composting
  progressive
• have been composting
  perfect progressive
• has been composting
  perfect progressive

Past

• composted
  simple
• had composted
  perfect
• was composting
  progressive
• were composting
  progressive
• had been composting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will compost
  simple
• will have composted
  perfect
• will be composting
  progressive
• will have been composting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of compost

1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French, Middle French < Latin compositum, noun use of neuter of compositus composite; cf. compote

Explanation

Compost is organic matter like orange peels and coffee grounds mixed together and left to decay, usually in a compost pile, then used as fertilizer. To make such a mixture is to compost. To compost is to make a mixture of organic matter, such as manure and leftover food, and leave it somewhere like a compost pile in the back yard or in a bucket with a tight lid in the kitchen. The mixture is also called compost, and after it sits and decays for a while, voila! It turns into fertilizer that makes the soil rich and the plants happy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

compost composts composted composting

Glinting in the night, halfway up a hill in Japan, the greenhouse-like "Ku-An" test lab is lit by electricity harnessed from 1,500 wooden boxes of soil and compost.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

"Lu-An" has some 2,000 plastic cylinders of soil and compost to give 100 watts of output, enough to power a rice cooker and other appliances.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

For the founders of an award-winning community compost business, it's a no-brainer that the second answer is the correct one.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

Getting up close and personal with compost is part of the job...

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

People are actually eating lunch before we eat our breakfast, and when it finally comes, Margaret slops it down on our table like she’s serving us compost.

From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

First Ave. The unassuming brick-clad structure generates its own power, collects and treats its own water, and composts its waste.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 25, 2022

All the manure they produce during the winter is spread out on the fields, where it composts back into the soil.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2021

The studio composts, eschews floral foam and sources many of its bought flowers from local growers.

From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2020

While it uses solar power and composts its plant waste on site, it cannot pay more for packaging.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 14, 2018

How does charcoal protect composts against injurious action of rains?

From The Elements of Agriculture A Book for Young Farmers, with Questions Prepared for the Use of Schools by George E. (George Edwin) Waring

Her company has raised $25 million and composted more than 600 bodies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026

The ultimate solution to Keurig's plastic footprint, she said, is a product that eliminates "the need to collect anything back from customers," like a fiber-based pod that can be composted along with the grounds.

From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2024

In the past few years, more plastic has been going to incinerators and less food waste - which councils are now sending to anaerobic digesters or to be composted.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2024

I volunteered at local gardens, volunteered at cleanups, composted my food scraps, bought primarily local produce and committed other seemingly minor acts that are easily achievable for most of us.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2024

I managed to avoid the details of manure and grubs and composted guts.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Blumenfield’s initiative directs the Bureau of Sanitation to develop a plan for expanding local composting across the city.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

The state’s composting law has proved challenging on several fronts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

In the United States, the Catholic Church has campaigned against human composting wherever legislation has been introduced to implement it.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

This story contains details about human composting funeral services which some readers may find upsetting.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

“You could still write about the neighborhood composting program for your college application essay,” I offer.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Related Words

• fertilizer