Princeton's WordNet(3.62 / 8 votes)Rate this definition:

1. composition, composing(noun)

   the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole

   "harmonious composition is essential in a serious work of art"

2. constitution, composition, physical composition, makeup, make-up(noun)

   the way in which someone or something is composed

3. composition(noun)

   a mixture of ingredients

4. musical composition, opus, composition, piece, piece of music(noun)

   a musical work that has been created

   "the composition is written in four movements"

5. composing, composition(noun)

   musical creation

6. writing, authorship, composition, penning(noun)

   the act of creating written works

   "writing was a form of therapy for him"; "it was a matter of disputed authorship"

7. typography, composition(noun)

   art and technique of printing with movable type

8. composition, paper, report, theme(noun)

   an essay (especially one written as an assignment)

   "he got an A on his composition"

9. composition(noun)

   something that is created by arranging several things to form a unified whole

   "he envied the composition of their faculty"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. composition(Noun)

   The proportion of different parts to make a whole.

2. composition(Noun)

   The general makeup of something.

3. composition(Noun)

   An agreement or treaty used to settle differences; later especially, an agreement to stop hostilities; a truce.

4. composition(Noun)

   An agreement to pay money in order to clear a liability or obligation; a settling.

5. composition(Noun)

   A mixture or compound; the result of composing.

6. composition(Noun)

   An essay.

7. composition(Noun)

   The formation of compound words from separate words.

8. composition(Noun)

   A work of music, literature or art.

9. composition(Noun)

   typesetting.

Origin: From compositio.

Webster Dictionary(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Composition(noun)

   the act or art of composing, or forming a whole or integral, by placing together and uniting different things, parts, or ingredients

2. Composition(noun)

   the invention or combination of the parts of any literary work or discourse, or of a work of art; as, the composition of a poem or a piece of music

3. Composition(noun)

   the art or practice of so combining the different parts of a work of art as to produce a harmonious whole; also, a work of art considered as such. See 4, below

4. Composition(noun)

   the act of writing for practice in a language, as English, Latin, German, etc

5. Composition(noun)

   the setting up of type and arranging it for printing

6. Composition(noun)

   the state of being put together or composed; conjunction; combination; adjustment

7. Composition(noun)

   a mass or body formed by combining two or more substances; as, a chemical composition

8. Composition(noun)

   a literary, musical, or artistic production, especially one showing study and care in arrangement; -- often used of an elementary essay or translation done as an educational exercise

9. Composition(noun)

   consistency; accord; congruity

10. Composition(noun)

    mutual agreement to terms or conditions for the settlement of a difference or controversy; also, the terms or conditions of settlement; agreement

11. Composition(noun)

    the adjustment of a debt, or avoidance of an obligation, by some form of compensation agreed on between the parties; also, the sum or amount of compensation agreed upon in the adjustment

12. Composition(noun)

    synthesis as opposed to analysis

Origin: [F. composition, fr. L. compositio. See Composite.]

Freebase(4.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Composition

   In the visual arts – in particular painting, graphic design, photography and sculpture – composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work. It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art. The term composition means 'putting together,' and can apply to any work of art, from music to writing to photography, that is arranged or put together using conscious thought. In the visual arts, composition is often used interchangeably with various terms such as design, form, visual ordering, or formal structure, depending on the context. In graphic design for press and desktop publishing composition is commonly referred to as page layout. These paintings all show the same subject, the Raising of Lazarus, and essentially the same figures, but have very different compositions: ⁕ Duccio, 1310-11 ⁕ Geertgen tot Sint Jans, 1480s ⁕ Guercino, c. 1619 ⁕ Rembrandt, c. 1630

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'composition' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3951

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'composition' in Nouns Frequency: #1472

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of composition in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of composition in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Sample Sentences & Example Usage

1. Mark Bissell:

   Our investment has actually gone up, but the composition has shifted.

2. Robert Kane:

   We are disappointed, but not surprised by the decision of the NLRB given its current composition.

3. Samuel Johnson:

   ESSAY -- A loose sally of the mind an irregular indigested piece not a regular and orderly composition.

4. Axel Stein:

   His work with sand, earth and pigments is extraordinarily evident in this painting, his composition is very round.

5. Trevor Kashey:

   I’ve noticed favorable body composition changes when I have athletes who are under eating take in more calories.

Images & Illustrations of composition