Definitions
01natural fertilizer
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a mixture of decayed organic material, like leaves and vegetable scraps, used to improve soil.
n. a mass of decayed organic matter, such as garden waste and food scraps, used as a nutrient-rich soil conditioner.
“She added a layer of compost to her vegetable garden to help the tomatoes grow.”
“The gardener regularly turned the heap to ensure the compost reached the high temperatures necessary for efficient decomposition.”
Synonyms
02potting soil
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Cooking British English
n. a special soil mixture you buy in bags to grow plants in pots.
n. a prepared growth medium, often containing peat or bark, used for cultivating plants in containers.
“I need to buy a bag of potting compost for my new indoor plants.”
“The nursery recommends a seed-sowing compost with a fine texture to ensure delicate roots can penetrate the medium easily.”
Synonyms
03to decay organic waste
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to collect old food and garden waste so it can break down into fertilizer.
v. to convert organic waste into compost through a controlled biological decomposition process.
“Our family started to compost all our fruit peels instead of throwing them away.”
“By choosing to compost their organic waste, the household significantly reduced the amount of rubbish sent to the local landfill.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the material in bulk; countable when referring to specific commercial mixtures or types.
Real-World Examples
“Leftover crop stalks and leaves are turned into animal feed, compost, cooking fuel or biogas.” “Growing rooms and compost need to reach temperatures of up to 62C , depending on the system being used, in order for the mushrooms to grow.” “N ick Padwick hunches over a microscope, examining a sample of compost he has made on his Norfolk farm.” Etymology
From Middle English compost, from Old Northern French compost (“a mixture of leaves, manure, etc., for fertilizing land, also a condiment”), from Latin compositus (“composed”), from componere. Doublet of compote, which was taken from modern French, composite, and kompot.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/compost
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0