- to break down (organic matter) or (of organic matter) to be broken down physically and chemically by bacterial or fungal action; rot
- to break down or cause to break down into simpler chemical compounds
- to break up or separate into constituent parts
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
de•com•posed
(dē′kəm pōzd′),USA pronunciation adj.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- Microbiologyhaving undergone decomposition.
- Birds(of a feather) having the barbs separate, hanging loosely, and not interconnected by barbules.
- decompose + -ed2 1840–50
de•com•pose /ˌdikəmˈpoʊz/USA pronunciation
v. [no obj], -posed, -pos•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to separate into the essential parts:Salt decomposes into sodium and chlorine.
- Microbiologyto rot; become decayed:the smell of decomposing vegetation.
de•com•pose
(dē′kəm pōz′),USA pronunciation v., -posed, -pos•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
de′com•pos′a•ble, adj.
de′com•pos′a•bil′i•ty, n.
v.t.
- to separate or resolve into constituent parts or elements;
disintegrate:The bacteria decomposed the milk into its solid and liquid elements.
v.i.
- Microbiologyto rot;
putrefy:The egg began to decompose after a day in the sun.
- French décomposer, equivalent. to dé- dis-1 + composer to compose
- 1745–55
de′com•pos′a•bil′i•ty, n.
- 1. distill, fractionate, analyze. 2. See decay.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
decompose /ˌdiːkəmˈpəʊz/ vb
'decomposed' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
biodegradable
- coal
- composite
- compost
- degrade
- degradable
- hang
- heavy water
- high
- humus
- lignite
- litter
- -lyte
- peat
- photodegradable
- pulque
- rot
- septic tank
- thermolabile
- weathered
- C horizon
- decay
- decompose
- decomposition
- glucoside
- gouge
- growan
- ignis fatuus
- indecomposable
- indissoluble
- malonic acid
- mantle rock
- phosphorus sesquisulfide
- undecomposed
- sacrificial anode
- saprolite
- sapropel
- sodium ethylate
- sodium methylate