decomposition
gb/dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/ us/dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
process
1
natural breakdown of organic matter
the process of rotting and breaking down naturally
Usage pattern:
decomposition of [organic material]
Common mistake:
Often confused with decomposition meaning “analysis” or “breaking a problem into parts.”
Synonyms
decay (More general and common; less scientific.)
|
rotting (More informal and vivid.)
Antonyms
preservation (Keeping something from decaying.)
Collocations
organic decomposition
|natural decomposition
|rapid decomposition
|slow decomposition
|the decomposition of leaves
|the decomposition of wood
|the decomposition of waste
|decomposition in soil
|decomposition in water
|decomposition occurs
Themes
nature
|science
|environment
Examples
- Decomposition of fallen leaves returns nutrients to the soil.
- Warm, wet conditions speed up decomposition.
- In a compost bin, decomposition happens faster when the pile is turned regularly.
Learner examples
- Food decomposition can smell bad.
- Leaves decompose in the ground.
Noun
formal
C1
state
2
being partly or fully decayed
the condition of being rotten or decayed
Usage pattern:
in (a) decomposition; in a state of decomposition
Common mistake:
Learners may use decomposition as a countable noun (*a decomposition*) in this sense; it is usually uncountable.
Synonyms
decay (Broader; not as specific to post-death contexts.)
|
putrefaction (More technical and strongly associated with dead tissue.)
Antonyms
freshness (The opposite condition of not being decayed.)
Collocations
advanced decomposition
|visible decomposition
|signs of decomposition
|stages of decomposition
|a state of decomposition
|the body showed decomposition
|early decomposition
|severe decomposition
|postmortem decomposition
|odor of decomposition
Themes
health
|crime
|science
Examples
- The remains were found in an advanced state of decomposition.
- Because of the heat, decomposition was already noticeable after a few days.
- The report described the extent of decomposition at the scene.
Learner examples
- The meat was in decomposition.
- The body was in a state of decomposition.
Noun
C1
process
3
breaking something into smaller parts
dividing something difficult into smaller parts to study it
Usage pattern:
decomposition of [a problem/task/system] (into [parts])
Common mistake:
Not used for physical damage; for physical breaking, learners often want “breakage” or “damage.”
Synonyms
breakdown (More common and less formal; can also mean a failure.)
|
analysis (Focuses on studying something, not necessarily splitting it into parts.)
Antonyms
synthesis (Combining parts to form a whole.)
Collocations
problem decomposition
|task decomposition
|decomposition into parts
|decomposition into steps
|logical decomposition
|step-by-step decomposition
|decomposition of an argument
|decomposition of a process
|functional decomposition
|decomposition approach
Themes
education
|work
|problem_solving
Examples
- A clear decomposition of the problem helped the team find a solution.
- The course teaches decomposition: turning a big task into smaller, manageable steps.
- Her essay begins with a careful decomposition of the author’s argument.
Learner examples
- We used decomposition to solve the problem.
- Break the task down with decomposition.
Noun
technical
C1
process
4
chemical breakdown into simpler substances
a reaction where one chemical becomes simpler chemicals
Usage pattern:
decomposition of [a compound] (into [products])
Common mistake:
In chemistry, decomposition is a type of reaction, not just “rotting.”
Synonyms
breakdown (More general; can describe chemical change without naming the reaction type.)
Antonyms
synthesis (A reaction where simpler substances combine to form a compound.)
Collocations
chemical decomposition
|thermal decomposition
|photochemical decomposition
|decomposition reaction
|decomposition products
|decomposition temperature
|catalytic decomposition
|decomposition pathway
|decomposition occurs
|undergo decomposition
Themes
science
|chemistry
|education
Examples
- At high temperatures, the compound undergoes decomposition into simpler gases.
- The lab measured the decomposition products released during heating.
- Light can cause the decomposition of some unstable chemicals.
Learner examples
- Heat caused decomposition of the chemical.
- The reaction was a decomposition.
Noun
technical
C1
abstract
5
representing something as component parts
writing a number or matrix as simpler parts
Usage pattern:
decomposition of [a number/matrix] (into [components])
Common mistake:
Often confused with “composition” in math (building a function), which is a different idea.
Synonyms
factorization (Common for numbers/polynomials; one specific type of decomposition.)
|
expansion (General term for rewriting in a sum/series; not always a decomposition.)
Antonyms
composition (Combining simpler mappings or parts to build a more complex object.)
Collocations
prime decomposition
|matrix decomposition
|factor decomposition
|spectral decomposition
|decomposition into factors
|decomposition into eigenvalues
|decomposition theorem
|a decomposition method
|unique decomposition
|orthogonal decomposition
Themes
math
|education
|technology
Examples
- Prime decomposition expresses a number as a product of primes.
- The algorithm relies on a matrix decomposition to speed up computation.
- Students practiced decomposition to rewrite fractions in simpler forms.
Learner examples
- We used decomposition to factor the number.
- The matrix decomposition helped the calculation.
Noun
technical
C1
process
6
dividing a system into modules
splitting a system into smaller parts to build it
Usage pattern:
decomposition of [a system/project] into [modules/components]
Common mistake:
In project management, “decomposition” is not the same as “deadline breakdown”; it means dividing the work into parts.
Synonyms
modularization (Emphasizes designing as modules; common in software.)
|
partitioning (More general; can be used in systems, data, or networks.)
Antonyms
integration (Putting separate parts together into a unified system.)
Collocations
functional decomposition
|system decomposition
|module decomposition
|architectural decomposition
|decomposition into components
|decomposition into services
|top-down decomposition
|design decomposition
|decomposition strategy
|decomposition diagram
Themes
technology
|engineering
|business
Examples
- The team used decomposition to split the application into independent services.
- Good decomposition makes complex projects easier to manage.
- The design document includes a decomposition of the system into core modules.
Learner examples
- We did decomposition to plan the project.
- Decomposition helped us build the system.
Grammar
Dictionary form
decomposition
IPA
GB/dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
US/dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
de - com - pos - i - tion (5 syllables)
Stress on 4th syllable (i)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: decomposition
- Plural: decomposition, decompositions
Word family
Forms
decompositions
noun
Core family
Related words
composer
noun B2
decomposer
noun
Advanced or less common
decomposable
adjective
Expressions
advanced state of decomposition
1/ədvˈænst stˈeɪt əv dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
very far along in decay
very decayed
Examples
- The remains were in an advanced state of decomposition.
- Because of the temperature, the animal carcass reached an advanced state of decomposition quickly.
- Investigators could not identify the body due to the advanced state of decomposition.
decomposition reaction
1/dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən ɹiˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
one compound splits into substances
a reaction where one chemical becomes two or more chemicals
Examples
- The teacher gave an example of a decomposition reaction in which a compound breaks apart when heated.
- Electrolysis can drive a decomposition reaction.
- They identified the products of the decomposition reaction using spectroscopy.
functional decomposition
1/fˈʌŋkʃənəl dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
splitting work into smaller functions
dividing a system into smaller jobs it does
Examples
- Functional decomposition helped the team define clear responsibilities for each module.
- The report includes a functional decomposition of the manufacturing process.
- They started with functional decomposition before choosing the system architecture.
in a state of decomposition
1/ˈɪn ə stˈeɪt əv dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
already decaying or rotting
already rotting
Examples
- The body was in a state of decomposition when it was discovered.
- After several days in the heat, the fish were in a state of decomposition.
- The report noted that the remains were in a state of decomposition.
matrix decomposition
1/mˈeɪtɹɪks dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
splitting a matrix into factors
rewriting a matrix using simpler matrices
Examples
- The solver uses matrix decomposition to compute the solution efficiently.
- QR is one common type of matrix decomposition.
- They compared different matrix decomposition methods for numerical stability.
prime decomposition
1/pɹˈaɪm dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
writing a number as primes
showing a number as a product of primes
Examples
- Find the prime decomposition of 84.
- Prime decomposition helps you simplify fractions.
- The worksheet asked students to write a prime decomposition for each number.
rate of decomposition
1/ɹˈeɪt əv dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
speed of decaying
how fast something decays
Examples
- Scientists measured the rate of decomposition of leaf litter in different forests.
- Oxygen levels can affect the rate of decomposition in wetlands.
- The rate of decomposition increases when the soil is warm and moist.
thermal decomposition
1/θˈɚməl dˌikəmpoʊzˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
breakdown caused by heat
a chemical breaks apart because of heat
Examples
- The experiment demonstrated thermal decomposition at 300°C.
- Thermal decomposition can produce gases that must be vented safely.
- Some plastics release toxic fumes during thermal decomposition.