composé

Composé is a French term that functions as both an adjective and a noun, derived from the Latin compositus meaning “put together.” It is used across several fields to indicate that something is made of or formed from multiple elements or parts, rather than being singular or elemental.

In linguistics, a mot composé (compound word) designates a unit lexicale formed by the combination of two or more morphèmes. Such mots composés may be written with a hyphen, a space, or, less commonly, as a single word. Examples include arc-en-ciel, chef-d’œuvre, and porte-monnaie. The distinction between a true compound and a simple locution varies by language and orthographic tradition, and usage evolves over time.

In chemistry, un composé chimique is a substance consisting of two or more elements chemically bonded in fixed proportions. The properties of a compound differ from its constituent elements. Compounds can be organic or inorganic and may be binary (two elements) or more complex. They can often be represented by a chemical formula and may be decomposed into elements or simpler compounds through chemical reactions.

In mathematics and number theory, composé appears in several senses. A nombre composé is an integer greater than 1 that is not prime; it has positive divisors other than 1 and itself. A fonction composée is a function obtained by composing two or more functions. Beyond mathematics, the term can describe anything made up of parts, such as a texte composé or œuvre composée, indicating it was created as a synthesis of elements.

Overall, composé emphasizes assemblage and combination, spanning language, chemistry, mathematics, and the arts.