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# composition

noun (composition, uncountable; a composition, compositions)

«composition» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. What something is made of; its parts and how much of each (the composition of air). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#m1)
2. A piece of music, art or writing someone has created. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#m2)
3. A short school essay (UK, old-fashioned). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#m3)
4. The way the parts of a picture or photo are arranged. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#m4)
5. In maths, putting two functions or shapes together. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#m5)

### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#x1)
- Mozart wrote his first composition as a child. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#x2)
- Write a composition about your holiday. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#x3)
- The painting has a lovely composition. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#x4)
- The class studied the composition of soil. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#x5)
- The composition of the team changed after the injury. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#x6)
- "I have never heard a more beautiful composition. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/#x7)

### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/composition/#x1)
- 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/composition/#x2)
- 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/composition/#x3)

### 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%.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «composition» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/composition/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«composition» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/composition.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «composition» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/composition/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«composition» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/composition.html) on Mova free.