decomposition

American  

[dee-kom-puh-zish-uhn] / ˌdi kɒm pəˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

• decompositions
  plural

1. the act or process of decomposing.

2. the state of being decomposed; decay.

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decomposition Scientific  

/ dē-kŏm′pə-zĭsh′ən /

1. The separation of a substance into simpler substances or basic elements. Decomposition can be brought about by exposure to heat, light, or chemical or biological activity.

2. The process of breaking down organic material, such as dead plant or animal tissue, into smaller molecules that are available for use by the organisms of an ecosystem. Decomposition is carried on by bacteria, fungi, protists, worms, and certain other organisms.

3. See more at detritivore

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• decompositions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of decomposition

1650–60; probably < French décomposition, derivative of décomposer to decompose; see composition

Explanation

Decomposition is the process of decaying or rotting. If you've ever left a carved pumpkin on the porch into late November, you have seen and smelled decomposition. A "composition" is a paper or group of items that's put together, while a decomposition is a breaking down or coming apart. You can use the noun decomposition for rotting plants and animals. Some people keep a compost pile for trash decomposition, which produces fertilizer. Studying decomposition lets you see the different stages of rotting, and science teachers often let students leave out a piece of fruit on purpose, just to watch its decomposition and the growth of maggots.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

decomposition decompositions

When asked whether he was able to recognize any facial features, Byers said: "No, there was a quite a bit of decomposition to where skin slippage...made it unrecognizable."

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

“It is just heartbreaking to see these totally innocent creatures, in various states of decomposition, be taken out and put on a tarp and put in the black plastic garbage bag for evidence,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

"This is because the whale may carry diseases that can also be transmitted to humans, and there may also be a risk of explosion," as decomposition creates large volumes of gases, it said.

From Barron's ● May 16, 2026

According to Sheldrick, the mother had been dead for more than a day or longer, based on the level of decomposition.

From BBC ● May 6, 2026

There's little of the decomposition you see on most long-dead shamblers, none of the older clothing or loose hanging skin.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Their approach involves clever decompositions of the cube circumscribing the bicylinder. 

From Scientific American ● Jan. 6, 2018

We obtain the same values for and using either method, so the decompositions are the same using either method.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 13, 2015

Although this method is not seen very often in textbooks, we present it here as an alternative that may make some partial fraction decompositions easier.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 13, 2015

So it's not a moment; it's a process that actually begins when the heart stops and culminates in the complete loss of the body, the decompositions of all the cells.

From Time Magazine Archive

He used two tubes, each having a wire within it passing through the closed end, as is usual for voltaic decompositions.

From Experimental Researches in Electricity, Volume 1 by Michael Faraday

Related Words

• decay
• disintegration