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

Unsecured trash bins and compost piles are open invitations for opossums and other animals. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2024

Many fruits are easy to grow from seed, just think about those watermelons growing out of the compost pile! —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2024

Verb

The practice of recycling was spurred along by activist efforts, including the rise of curbside recycling in the 1990s, and the portion of waste that was recycled or composted in the U.S. shot up from 6% in 1960 to 32% in 2018, the most recent year government data is available. —Caitlin Babcock, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2024

Most can break apart in industrial composting systems. —Allyson Chiu, Washington Post, 20 July 2024

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