# composite

/kɑmˈpɑzət/ (US) · /kˈɒmpəsˌɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/composite
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a mixture or combination

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- The final report was a composite of several different studies.
- The character in the novel is a composite of several real-life figures the author met during his travels in Europe.

### 2. structural material

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

- The new airplane wings are made from a lightweight composite.
- Engineers preferred the carbon-fibre composite for the chassis due to its superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional aluminium alloys.

### 3. combined image

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- The police created a composite of the suspect based on what the witness saw.
- The artist produced a digital composite that seamlessly blended urban landscapes with surrealist natural elements.

### 4. made of parts

adjective · CEFR B2

made of many different parts or materials.

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

- The building has a composite structure of steel and concrete.
- The researcher presented a composite score that accounted for both the speed and accuracy of the participants.

### 5. not prime

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

- The number four is the smallest composite number.
- Students were asked to identify all composite integers between fifty and one hundred during the algebra quiz.

### 6. architectural style

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

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

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

- The ancient temple featured tall composite columns.
- The Renaissance architect favoured the Composite order for the palace facade to convey a sense of ornate grandeur.

### 7. to combine images

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to put different images together to make one new picture.

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

- The editor had to composite the actor into the background scene.
- Modern visual effects software allows artists to composite hundreds of layers into a single photorealistic frame.

## Examples

- The final image is a composite of several different photos.
- Engineers used a high-strength composite to build the aircraft's wings, making them both light and durable.
- The witness worked with a police artist to create a composite of the suspect, blending various facial features into a single representative portrait.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.