COMPOSITE

I. adjective Etymology: Latin compositus, past participle of componere Date: 1563 made up of distinct parts: as, relating to or being a modification of the Corinthian order combining angular Ionic volutes with the acanthus-circled bell of the Corinthian, of or relating to a very large family (Compositae syn. Asteraceae) of dicotyledonous herbs, shrubs, and trees often considered to be the most highly evolved plants and characterized by florets arranged in dense heads that resemble single flowers, factorable into two or more prime factors other than 1 and itself , combining the typical or essential characteristics of individuals making up a group , specifying a range of values for one or more statistical parameters, ~ly adverb II. noun Date: 1656 something ~ ; compound , a ~ plant, ~ function , a solid material which is composed of two or more substances having different physical characteristics and in which each substance retains its identity while contributing desirable properties to the whole, III. transitive verb (-ited; -iting) Date: 1923 to make ~ or into something ~