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
Noun
Two massive food bio-digesters reduce food waste to compost in 24 hours. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 In Phoenix, it’s partnered with a local farm that will come and collect your grounds and use them on their fields as compost. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 6 Mar. 2024 Expanding the use of dry compost toilets poses formidable challenges, however, from state- or county-level regulations right down to personal preferences. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 Wilson recommends increasing watering as the weather dries up to make sure the soil is moist and suggests putting in more compost around April or May. Alex Groves, Orange County Register, 30 Jan. 2024 Finished compost will be provided free to customers? Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 25 Jan. 2024 On average, our sites used compost to replace 95% of synthetic nutrients. Benjamin Goldstein, The Conversation, 22 Jan. 2024 Design elements include rainwater capture, native and climate-appropriate plants, plants for habitat, efficient irrigation, permeable paving and the utilization of compost and mulch. Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 About 25-30 bears live in the hills surrounding the piles of compost, concrete, and garbage at the landfill. The Aspen Times, The Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2024
Verb
Amid the discussion of a landfill closure and composting, however, lies a deeper and more troubling question of whether similar chemical reactions could erupt in any of the roughly 100 active or inactive landfills across the Greater Los Angeles Area. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 On weekdays, educational programs led by volunteers are given to thousands of schoolchildren on topics ranging from composting and conservation to pollination. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2024 Recycled poinsettias will be separated from their soil and undergo a composting process that transforms them into nutrient-rich compost. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2024 The Upper Pond unit has a composting toilet and the Bonbibi unit relies on access to the bathhouse’s toilets and showers. Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Other eco-friendly burial options include human composting (placing the body in a chamber with natural materials, accelerating decomposition even more), and alkaline hydrolysis (using alkaline chemicals to break down a body in a chamber of water). Sophia Liang, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 Join 8 others in the comments View Comments As with dry composting toilets, RecoLab extracts nitrogen and phosphorus from human waste — as well as from food compost — and turns them into fertilizer pellets at a nearby factory. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 The dry composting method will be familiar to those with off-grid homes. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 Human composting is the practice of decomposing human remains like any other organic matter and turning it into soil that can be returned to the family or used for land. Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

compost

noun
com·​post
ˈkäm-ˌpōst
: a mixture largely of decayed matter of once living things (as grass) or their products (as coffee grinds) and used for fertilizing and conditioning land
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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