ENGLISH
REFERENCE

composite

n. · adj. · v.
US //kɑmˈpɑzət// UK //kˈɒmpəsˌɪt// com·pos·ite
  1. 1 a mixture or combination (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    something that is made of several different parts or materials put together.

    a thing made up of several parts or elements; a compound or complex whole.

    Example

    The final report was a composite of several different studies.

    Example

    The character in the novel is a composite of several real-life figures the author met during his travels in Europe.
  2. 2 structural material (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    a strong material made by mixing two or more different substances, like plastic and carbon fibre.

    a structural material made of two or more constituent substances with significantly different physical or chemical properties.

    Example

    The new airplane wings are made from a lightweight composite.

    Example

    Engineers preferred the carbon-fibre composite for the chassis due to its superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional aluminium alloys.
Show 5 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 combined image (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a single picture made by putting together parts of different photographs or drawings.

    a drawing or photograph created by combining several separate images or elements into one.

    Example

    The police created a composite of the suspect based on what the witness saw.

    Example

    The artist produced a digital composite that seamlessly blended urban landscapes with surrealist natural elements.
  2. 4 made of parts (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    made of many different parts or materials.

    made up of various parts or elements; compound in nature.

    Example

    The building has a composite structure of steel and concrete.

    Example

    The researcher presented a composite score that accounted for both the speed and accuracy of the participants.
  3. 5 not prime (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Math

    describing a number that can be divided by numbers other than itself and one.

    relating to a positive integer that has at least one divisor other than one and itself.

    Example

    The number four is the smallest composite number.

    Example

    Students were asked to identify all composite integers between fifty and one hundred during the algebra quiz.
  4. 6 architectural style (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Formal Architecture

    a style of building that mixes two older styles, the Ionic and the Corinthian.

    relating to a classical order of architecture that combines the volutes of the Ionic with the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian.

    Example

    The ancient temple featured tall composite columns.

    Example

    The Renaissance architect favoured the Composite order for the palace facade to convey a sense of ornate grandeur.

  5. 7 to combine images (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    to put different images together to make one new picture.

    to combine two or more separate images or elements into a single unified visual.

    Example

    The editor had to composite the actor into the background scene.

    Example

    Modern visual effects software allows artists to composite hundreds of layers into a single photorealistic frame.
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French composite, from Latin compositus, past participle of compōnō (“put together”). Doublet of compost, compote, and kompot.

© 2026 English Reference