decompose
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to break down (organic matter) or (of organic matter) to be broken down physically and chemically by bacterial or fungal action; rot
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chem to break down or cause to break down into simpler chemical compounds
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to break up or separate into constituent parts
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(tr) maths to express in terms of a number of independent simpler components, as a set as a canonical union of disjoint subsets, or a vector into orthogonal components
Related Words
See decay.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of decompose
1745–55; < French décomposer, equivalent to dé- dis- 1 + composer to compose
Explanation
The verb decompose means to break down or decay, like tree leaves that decompose into dirt, or cell phone batteries that decompose, resulting in more frequent charging for the user. You know that the prefix de- means "remove" or "undo." And something that's composed is made up of parts. So to decompose is to undo all the parts until they go back to their original state: dirt. Living things decompose. When things like buildings or organizations break down, you typically use words like dismantle or deconstruct to describe the process.
Vocabulary lists containing decompose
"The Ravine," Vocabulary from the short story
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Can You Dig It? Words for Dirt and Soil
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"Living in the Dark," Vocabulary from the science article
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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.
In November 2019, Nelligan began researching how bodies decompose in soil.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
Despite recycling efforts, most plastic ends up in landfills where it can take centuries to decompose, leaching out chemicals during that time, Deeney said.
From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026
His latest invention, GraveTech, gives people the opportunity to say hello to their loved ones as they decompose six feet underground, at the touch of a button.
From Salon • Dec. 5, 2025
New research has identified a straightforward and environmentally friendly way to decompose Teflon, one of the most resilient plastics in use today, and convert it into valuable chemical ingredients.
From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2025
For example, they had to figure out how to decompose a continuous utterance into speech units, regardless of whether those units were taken as words, syllables, or phonemes.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
