compost

1 of 2

noun

com·​post ˈkäm-ˌpōst 

 especially British  -ˌpäst

1

: a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land

2

: mixture, compound

compost

2 of 2

verb

composted; composting; composts

transitive verb

: to convert (a material, such as plant debris) to compost

compostable

ˈkäm-ˌpō-stə-bəl 

adjective

composter

ˈkäm-ˌpō-stər 

noun

Examples of compost in a Sentence

Verb

We compost leaves in our backyard.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Amend the soil with 2 inches of shredded leaves or compost if needed. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025

Adding a layer of compost annually is a great habit for building your soil, and will yield benefits for years to come. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025

Verb

Its free online hub, The Greenhorn Guides, provides downloadable e-books and short tutorial videos on everything from container tomatoes to backyard composting. —Jason Phillips, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

To make blender composting even more efficient, freeze food scraps in gallon-sized resealable plastic bags or plastic containers, and then blend them all at once to create one big batch of blender compost. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin compostum, from Latin, neuter of compositus, compostus, past participle of componere

First Known Use

Noun

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1829, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing compost

• compost heap
• compost pile

Kids Definition

compost

noun

com·​post

ˈkäm-ˌpōst

: a mixture largely of decayed matter of once living things (as plant debris) used for fertilizing and conditioning land