comprise
kuhm-PRYZ
Comprise (verb) means to consist of or be made up of particular parts. Example: “The committee comprises twelve elected members.”
verb
1
To consist of or be made up of particular parts.
"The parts are comprised by the whole."
"The committee comprises twelve elected members."
"The team comprises five players and one coach."
"The exhibition comprises many paintings from local artists."
"The whole comprises the parts."
"Our committee comprises a president, secretary, treasurer and five other members."
2
To make up or form something as a whole.
"These three chapters comprise the bulk of the book."
"Girls comprise most of the choir this year."
"Fruit and vegetables comprise a large part of her diet."
How to use comprise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo be composed of certain parts, or (less strictly) for those parts to make up the whole.
Common mistake
Traditional style guides say "the whole comprises the parts" (not "is comprised of the parts"), though "is comprised of" is now extremely common in everyday use.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
comprise of (informal)
comprise the whole
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- comprises
- Past tense
- comprised
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The committee _____ twelve elected members.
Etymology
From Old French comprendre ("to include"), ultimately from Latin comprehendere — see "comprehend."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for comprise
See all rhymes for comprise →Frequently asked questions
What does “comprise” mean?
The word “comprise” means to consist of or be made up of particular parts. In plain terms, to be composed of certain parts, or (less strictly) for those parts to make up the whole.
How do you pronounce “comprise”?
“Comprise” is pronounced kuhm-PRYZ (/kəmˈpɹaɪz/ in IPA).
How do you use “comprise” in a sentence?
Here is “comprise” used in a sentence: “The committee comprises twelve elected members.”
What is another word for “comprise”?
Words with a similar meaning to “comprise” include make up.
What part of speech is “comprise”?
“Comprise” is a verb.
Where does the word “comprise” come from?
The word “comprise” comes from Latin. From Old French comprendre ("to include"), ultimately from Latin comprehendere — see "comprehend.".
Is “comprise” a common word?
“Comprise” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “comprise” have?
“Comprise” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to consist of or be made up of particular parts.
What is the difference between "comprise" and "compose"?
"Comprise" means the whole consists of its parts, so the subject is the whole thing ("The team comprises five players"). "Compose" works the opposite way, with the parts as the subject ("Five players compose the team"). Mixing them up, as in "comprised of," is common but considered nonstandard by many style guides.
Is "comprised of" correct?
Many usage guides consider "comprised of" incorrect because "comprise" already means "to consist of," making "of" redundant. The traditionally correct forms are "the whole comprises the parts" or "the whole is composed of the parts." That said, "comprised of" is widely used in everyday speech and writing despite the objection.
Can "comprise" be used interchangeably with "include"?
Not quite: "comprise" implies a complete listing of all the parts that make up a whole, while "include" only implies some of the parts, not necessarily all of them. Saying a book "comprises ten chapters" means it has exactly ten, whereas "includes ten chapters" leaves open whether there are more.
