composent

Composent is the third-person plural present indicative form of the French verb composer, meaning "they compose." It is used with subjects such as ils or elles to describe the act of creating music, writing, or other organized works.

Origin and form: The verb composer is a regular -er verb. In the present tense, the standard endings are -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. For ils/elles, the form is composed as "composent," preserving the stem "compos-" from the infinitive. The final -ent is the usual plural present ending in French.

Usage notes: Composent is used whenever the subject is plural and performing the act of composition. It can refer to musical composition as well as broader acts of creating or arranging, such as composing a plan, a story, or a piece of text. It does not apply to singular subjects; for "he or she composes," one would use "il compose" or "elle compose."

Examples:

- Ils composent une symphonie.

- Elles composent des poèmes.

- Les architectes composent un nouveau plan.

Etymology: The verb derives from Latin componere, meaning to put together, formed from com- "together" and ponere "to place." Related French nouns include composition and composite, and the English cognate composer.

See also: composition, composer, compound words in French verbs.