comprise
comprise Lexical Profile
comprise Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To consist of or be made up of specified parts or elements.
"The advisory committee comprises representatives from every department in the university."
To make up, form, or constitute a whole.
"International students comprise nearly a quarter of the graduate school population."
Word Nuance & Usage
Traditionally, the whole comprises the parts (e.g., "the union comprises fifty states"), whereas the parts compose or constitute the whole. Although the passive construction "is comprised of" is common in everyday speech, many formal style guides still prefer "is composed of" or "consists of."
• Rhymes for comprise
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late Middle Ages from Old French 'compris', the past participle of 'comprendre' (to contain or include), ultimately from Latin 'comprehendere' (to grasp or seize together).