composition

Everyday

1. What something is made of; its parts and how much of each (the composition of air). tree →
2. A piece of music, art or writing someone has created. tree →
3. A short school essay (UK, old-fashioned). tree →
4. The way the parts of a picture or photo are arranged. tree →
5. In maths, putting two functions or shapes together. tree →

In the lessons

In science: the composition of soil, air or rocks. In music and art: a composer writes compositions; composition in a photo. In maths: «decomposition» and «composition» of numbers (e.g. 25 = 20 + 5). Phrases: chemical composition, musical composition.

Examples

• Air's composition is mostly nitrogen and oxygen. tree →
• Mozart wrote his first composition as a child. tree →
• Write a composition about your holiday. tree →
• The painting has a lovely composition. tree →
• The class studied the composition of soil. tree →
• The composition of the team changed after the injury. tree →
• "I have never heard a more beautiful composition. tree →

Note

Verb: compose. Countable for a piece of work; uncountable for what something is made of. In science, composition is often given in percentages that add up to 100%.

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah, composition means the exact recipe or mixture, as for the holy incense and anointing oil.

Interpretation. Tradition says the holy oil and incense were made only for the Tabernacle and Temple, and ordinary people must not copy them.

Examples

• And the incense which thou shalt make, according to the composition thereof ye shall not make for yourselves; it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD. (Torah EXO.30.37, JPS 1917) tree →
• Upon the flesh of man shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any like it, according to the composition thereof; it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. (Torah EXO.30.32, JPS 1917) tree →
• But the time of its composition and the name of its author have not yet been ascertained, despite of the most elaborate researches of renowned archaeologists. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →

Note

Verb: compose. Countable for a piece of work; uncountable for what something is made of. In science, composition is often given in percentages that add up to 100%.