Skip to content

The word for today is…

comprise (verb):
1: to be made up of
2: compose, constitute
3: to include especially within a particular scope

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : The earliest meaning of comprise, “to be made up of” (as in “a team comprising fifteen players”), is sometimes regarded as the word’s only correct use. However, this grammatical prescription denies a well-established sense of the word: “to compose or constitute” (as in “the fifteen players who comprise the team”). Until relatively recently, this sense appeared mostly in scientific writing, but current evidence shows that it is now somewhat more common in general use than the word’s other meanings. You might be most familiar with this disputed use in the passive construction, “to be comprised of” (as in “a team comprised of fifteen players”). Apologies to the haters: a single sense simply can’t comprise comprise.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest