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.

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verb (used with object)

1. to use in compost; make compost of.

   to compost manure and kitchen scraps.

2. to apply compost to (soil).

verb (used without object)

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

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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.

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Other Word Forms

• compostable adjective
• composter noun

Etymology

Origin of compost

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

Not only dreams but broken dreams — the compost that can happen when you digest broken dreams.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

And for Michael, who loves gardening and growing flowers, it is collecting food waste for compost.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

In 2023, he asked Marcus Schwarz, a forensic scientist at Leipzig university, to analyze the human compost from his process for toxic products.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

"Ongoing work is focused exclusively on compost, and we seem to be getting the same results," Cease says.

From Science Daily • Jan. 24, 2026

It has the lawn mower and the hedge cutter in it, and lots of gardening equipment that Mother used to use, like pots and bags of compost and bamboo canes and string and spades.

From "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon

Related Words

• fertilizer