com;pose pronunciation: function: verb inflected form(s): com;posed; com;pos;ingetymology: middle english, from anglo-french composer, from latin componere (perfect indicative composui) — more at compounddate: 15th centurytransitive verb 1 a : to form by putting together : fashion lt;a committee composed of three representatives — current biographygt; b : to form the substance of : constitute lt;composed of many ingredientsgt; c : to produce (as columns or pages of type) by composition2 a : to create by mental or artistic labor : produce lt;compose a sonnetgt; b (1) : to formulate and write (a piece of music) (2) : to compose music for3 : to deal with or act on so as to reduce to a minimum lt;compose their differencesgt;4 : to arrange in proper or orderly form5 : to free from agitation : calm, settle lt;composed himselfgt;intransitive verb : to practice composition