Definition of comprise verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

comprise

verb

/kəmˈpraɪz/

not used in the progressive tenses (formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they comprise	/kəmˈpraɪz/ /kəmˈpraɪz/
he / she / it comprises	/kəmˈpraɪzɪz/ /kəmˈpraɪzɪz/
past simple comprised	/kəmˈpraɪzd/ /kəmˈpraɪzd/
past participle comprised	/kəmˈpraɪzd/ /kəmˈpraɪzd/
past simple comprising	/kəmˈpraɪzɪŋ/ /kəmˈpraɪzɪŋ/
past participle comprising	/kəmˈpraɪzɪŋ/ /kəmˈpraɪzɪŋ/

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(also be comprised of)
to have somebody/something as parts or members synonym consist of
- comprise something The collection comprises 327 paintings.
- a book comprising eight short stories
- be comprised of somebody/something The committee is comprised of representatives from both the public and private sectors.
The main meaning of comprise is ‘have somebody/something as parts or members’. You can use it in two forms: as comprise with an object: The country comprises 20 states. Or you can use it in the passive form be comprised of somebody/something, which has the same meaning: The country is comprised of twenty states. Sometimes you may see the active form ‘comprise of’ but this is considered incorrect: The property comprises of bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.

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Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.
comprise something to be the parts or members that form something synonym make up
- Older people comprise a large proportion of those living in poverty.
Synonyms consist of somebody/something
consist of somebody/somethingcomprise ▪ be composed of somebody/somethingThese words all mean to be formed from the things or people mentioned.
consist of somebody/something to be formed from the people, things or activities mentioned:
Their diet consists largely of vegetables.
Consist of somebody/something is the only one of these words that can be used for activities with the -ing form of a verb: My work at that time just consisted of typing letters. comprise (rather formal) to be formed from the things or people mentioned:
The collection comprises 327 paintings.
You can also say be comprised of somebody/something: The collection is comprised of 327 paintings. It is not correct to say ‘comprises of’, even though you may see this form being used: The apartment comprises of kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom. be composed of somebody/something (rather formal) to be formed from the things or people mentioned:
Around 15 per cent of our diet is composed of protein.
Language Bank proportion
proportionDescribing fractions and proportions
- According to this pie chart, a third of students’ leisure time is spent watching TV.
- One in five hours is/are spent socializing.
- Socializing accounts for/makes up/comprises about 20 per cent of leisure time.
- Students spend twice as much time playing computer games as doing sport.
- Three times as many hours are spent playing computer games as reading.
- The figure for playing computer games is three times higher than the figure for reading.
- The largest proportion of time is spent playing computer games.

Word Originlate Middle English: from French, ‘comprised’, feminine past participle of comprendre, from Old French comprehender, from com- ‘together’ + prehendere ‘grasp’.

See comprise in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee comprise in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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Nearby words

dizzy

adjective

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