noun
- The act or result of decomposing; disintegration.
- a. Chemistry Separation into constituents by chemical reaction.b. Biology Breakdown or decay of organic materials.
Related Forms:
- de·com′po·si′tion·al
adjective
decomposition
de·com·po·si·tionTHE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"decomposition." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 16 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DECOMPOSITION>.
APA Style
decomposition. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DECOMPOSITION
- The separation of a substance into simpler substances or basic elements. Decomposition can be brought about by exposure to heat, light, or chemical or biological activity.
- The process of breaking down organic material, such as dead plant or animal tissue, into smaller molecules that are available for use by the organisms of an ecosystem. Decomposition is carried on by bacteria, fungi, protists, worms, and certain other organisms.
See more at detritivore
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MLA Style
"decomposition." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 16 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DECOMPOSITION>.
APA Style
decomposition. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DECOMPOSITION
Noun
(plural decompositions)
- A biological process through which organic material is reduced to e.g. compost
- The act of taking something apart, e.g. for analysis
- The splitting (of e.g. a matrix, an atom, or a compound) into constituent parts
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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Cite this page
MLA Style
"decomposition." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 16 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DECOMPOSITION>.
APA Style
decomposition. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DECOMPOSITION
decomposition - Medical Definition
n.
- The act or result of decomposing; disintegration.
- Chemistry Separation into constituents by chemical reaction.
- Biology Breakdown or decay of organic materials.
Related Forms:
- de·com′po·si′tion·al
adj.
The American Heritage Dictionary of Medicine © 2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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Cite this page
MLA Style
"decomposition." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 16 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DECOMPOSITION>.
APA Style
decomposition. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DECOMPOSITION
