sastav

Sastav is a term used in several South Slavic languages, notably Croatian, Serbian, and Bosnian, with meanings centered on how something is put together. It can refer to the composition or makeup of a thing, its structure, or the arrangement of its parts. The exact sense depends on context, ranging from scientific descriptions to everyday speech.

Etymology: Sastav comes from the verb sastaviti, meaning to put together or to compose; the noun denotes the result of that act. The root is shared across related languages, reflecting the concept of assembling elements into a whole.

Common uses include: (a) the composition or makeup of something, such as chemical composition (sastav tvari) or the structural makeup of an object; (b) a written school assignment, an essay (napisati sastav); (c) a musical group or ensemble, the lineup of players (sastav benda or sastav ansambla). In each sense, it emphasizes how parts form a whole.

In modern usage, speakers may choose among synonyms like kompozicija or sastav depending on dialect and register. The term remains a versatile, neutral descriptor of structure and organization, applicable across science, literature, education, and music.