v.
Pronunciation: ˌ d ē -k ə m- ' p ō z
Function: verb
Etymology: French décomposer, from dé- de + composer to compose
Date: 1718
transitive verb
1 : to separate into constituent parts or elements or into simpler compounds < decompose water by electrolysis> < decompose a word into its base and affixes>
2 : ROT
intransitive verb : to break up into constituent parts by or as if by a chemical process : DECAY , ROT <fruit decompose s >
synonyms see DECAY
– de · com · pos · abil · i · ty \ - ˌ p ō -z ə - ' bi-l ə -t ē \ noun
– de · com · pos · able \ - ' p ō -z ə -b ə l \ adjective
– de · com · po · si · tion \ ( ˌ )d ē - ˌ käm-p ə - ' zi-sh ə n \ noun