/kom"poht/ ; Fr. /kawonn pawt"/ , n. , pl. compotes /-pohts/ ; Fr. /-pawt"/ .
1. fruit stewed or cooked in a syrup, usually served as a dessert.
2. Also, compotier . a dish, usually of glass, china, or silver, having a base, stem, and often a lid, and used for serving fruit, nuts, candy, etc.
[ 1685-95; composte composita, fem. of compositus COMPOSITE; cf. COMPOST ]