compost

1 of 2

noun

com·​post ˈkäm-ˌpōst How to pronounce compost (audio)
 especially British  -ˌpäst
1
: a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land
2

compost

2 of 2

verb

composted; composting; composts

transitive verb

: to convert (a material, such as plant debris) to compost
compostable adjective
composter noun

Examples of compost in a Sentence

Verb We compost leaves in our backyard.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Dry leaves, along with dry grass, dead plants, wood chips, shredded paper, and sawdust are examples of carbon to place in the compost. Lauren David, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024 Daddy was an Adlai Stevenson man and had the only compost pile on the block, but the neighbor, who liked Ike, could always be counted on to burn his leaves. Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
Metro New Orleans has two drop-off options for Halloween pumpkin composting and recycling. Carlie Kollath Wells, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024 Although some municipalities vacuum leaves and compost them, the majority don't, according to Meyer. Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for compost 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of compost was in 1587

Dictionary Entries Near compost

Cite this Entry

“Compost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compost. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!