compost
Americannoun
-
a mixture of various decaying organic substances, as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil.
-
a composition; compound.
verb (used with object)
-
to use in compost; make compost of.
to compost manure and kitchen scraps.
-
to apply compost to (soil).
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a mixture of organic residues such as decomposed vegetation, manure, etc, used as a fertilizer
-
a mixture, normally of plant remains, peat, charcoal, etc, in which plants are grown, esp in pots
-
rare a compound or mixture
verb
-
to make (vegetable matter) into compost
-
to fertilize with compost
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
compostsimple
-
compostssimple
-
have compostedperfect
-
has compostedperfect
-
are compostingprogressive
-
am compostingprogressive
-
is compostingprogressive
-
have been compostingperfect progressive
-
has been compostingperfect progressive
Past
-
compostedsimple
-
had compostedperfect
-
was compostingprogressive
-
were compostingprogressive
-
had been compostingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing compost
Can You Dig It? Words for Dirt and Soil
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Dirty Words: The Language of Gardening
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Down on the Farm
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“By 2050 we’ll be in a completely new paradigm,” said Ryan Jackson, executive director of LA Compost — a composting advocacy organization — and former director of the city’s Department of Public Works.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025
LA Compost oversees community compost hubs and co-ops where members can deposit their organic waste.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2023
Compost has the potential to restore 19.5 billion tonnes carbon in cropland topsoil, equivalent to 26.5% of current topsoil soil organic carbon stocks in the top 20 cm.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2023
Compost common sense: You don’t have to follow all the rules to get great results.
From New York Times • May 13, 2023
What Is Compost Do you know what really happens when things rot?
From Organic Gardener's Composting by Solomon, Steve
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
