decayed plant and food waste used to improve soil
The gardener spread compost around the tomato plants to help them grow.
Kitchen scraps can be turned into rich compost instead of going to the landfill.
✦ Late Middle English, from Old French 'composte', from Latin 'compositus' meaning ‘put together’.
to turn plant and food waste into compost
They decided to compost their vegetable peels rather than throw them away.
Farmers often compost manure before adding it to the fields.
✦ Derived from the noun ‘compost’, influenced by the idea of ‘putting together’ organic matter to decay.
