[ kəm'pəʊnənt ]
■ noun
1》 a part or element of a larger whole, especially a part of a machine or vehicle.
2》 Physics each of two or more forces, velocities, or other vectors acting in different directions which are together equivalent to a given vector.
■ adjective constituting part of a larger whole; constituent.
Derivatives
~ize or ~ise verb
Origin
C17: from L. ~- , componere 'put together'; cf. compound 1 .