26984 words

decompose

5 definitions • 3 examples
1
to decay, or to cause something to decay:

Examples:

The body must have been decomposing for several weeks.
2
to break, or to break something, into smaller parts:

Examples:

Microbes decompose organic waste into a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide.
3
to destroy something by breaking it into smaller parts:

Examples:

[ I ] Certain kinds of plastic decompose quickly.
4
If dead plant or animal material decomposes, it decays.
5
If a substance decomposes it separates into its parts.

Navigation