noun / adjective
composite
kuhm-PAH-zit/kəmˈpɑːzət/
A whole made from different parts or materials.
This composite board contains several distinct layers joined into one panel.
Etymology
The pieces express 'placed together': a composite is a whole formed by assembling distinct elements. The adjective describes the resulting whole while still recognizing its separate constituent parts.
In context
Fiberglass rebar consists of reinforcing rods made from a composite material based on fiberglass soaked in special resins.
More examples
- Her account is a composite of several eyewitness reports.
- The bike frame uses a lightweight composite of carbon fiber and resin.
- Your composite score combines the results of three tests.
Forms
composite · composites
composition noun — The parts that make up something.
Similar words
- blend
- Emphasizes parts mixed together rather than kept in distinct layers.
- combination
- Can describe things grouped together without forming a unified whole.