decompose

intransitive-verb
UK: /ˌdiː.kəmˈpoʊz/
US: /ˌdiː.kəmˈpoʊz/

  1. To decay and rot.

    1. The dead leaves decompose quickly.
    2. Over time, the plastic will slowly decompose in the landfill.

  2. To break down into simpler parts.

    1. The body will decompose after death.
    2. Scientists decompose the compound to analyze its components.

Synonyms

rot disintegrate decay
decompose transitive-verb

  1. To cause something to decay.

    1. Bacteria decompose organic matter.
    2. The damp conditions decompose the wood rapidly.

  2. To break something down into simpler parts.

    1. The chemist can decompose the compound with heat.
    2. We can decompose the problem into smaller, manageable tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "decompose" in English means: To decay and rot., To break down into simpler parts..

The phonetic transcription of "decompose" is /ˌdiː.kəmˈpoʊz/ in British English and /ˌdiː.kəmˈpoʊz/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "decompose": rot, disintegrate, decay.

Example usage of "decompose": "The dead leaves decompose quickly.". More examples on the page.