decomposable

IPA/dˌiːkəmpˈəʊzəbəl/
IPA/dˌiːkəmpˈoʊzəbəl/

decomposable — adjective

  • decomposablepositive
  • more decomposablecomparative
  • most decomposablesuperlative

1. able to break down or be separated into simpler substances, especially through n

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

able to break down or be separated into simpler substances, especially through natural chemical or biological processes — for example, food waste that rots in a compost heap, or a container made from plant fibres that decays in the soil.

Example

The gardener put decomposable kitchen scraps into the compost pile.

collocation: decomposable kitchen scraps

Many takeaway containers are now made from decomposable plant fibres.

Common collocations
  • decomposable waste
  • decomposable materials
  • decomposable matter
  • decomposable scraps
  • decomposable container
Synonyms
  • biodegradable

    narrower — refers specifically to breakdown by living organisms such as bacteria; all biodegradable items are decomposable, but not all decomposable items are biodegradable

  • degradable

    broader — can mean breakdown by any means (heat, light, chemicals); less common in everyday use

  • breakable

    different meaning — breakable refers to physical snapping or shattering, not chemical or biological breakdown

Antonyms
  • non-decomposable

    opposite — cannot break down under normal conditions; used for plastics that last centuries in landfills

  • permanent

    broader opposite — implies no change over time, whereas decomposable implies natural change

Grammar Patterns

be + decomposable

decomposable + noun

Usage Note

Most common in environmental and scientific writing. The prefix non- is often attached (non-decomposable) to describe materials that resist breakdown.

Common Mistakes

These bags are decomposable, so they will last forever.
These bags are decomposable, so they will break down naturally.
Decomposable means something falls apart, not that it stays intact.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Decomposable is the broadest of these terms, covering any process — chemical, biological, or physical — that breaks a substance into simpler parts. Biodegradable is narrower: it describes breakdown specifically by living organisms (bacteria, fungi) and is the most common label on consumer products. Degradable includes breakdown by heat, light, or moisture and is often used in materials science. Breakable is unrelated — it means something cracks or shatters under force, not that it rots or chemically breaks down. Separable means parts can be taken apart, not that the substance itself changes. For choosing everyday terms: a banana peel is biodegradable (and therefore decomposable); a plastic bottle marked 'degradable' may break into small pieces but not truly decompose at the molecular level.

biodegradable ↗degradable ↗breakable ↗separable

Common collocations

Nouns

  • decomposable waste
  • decomposable materials
  • decomposable matter
  • decomposable items
  • decomposable packaging

Adverbs

  • fully decomposable
  • easily decomposable
  • naturally decomposable
  • not decomposable

Prepositions

  • decomposable in [a compost bin]
  • decomposable under [certain conditions]
  • decomposable by [microorganisms]

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the Latin de- (meaning 'down, away') and componere (meaning 'to put together'). The verb decompose appeared in English in the 1600s through French décomposer, and the adjective decomposable formed from it by adding the suffix -able (meaning 'able to be'). So decomposable literally means 'able to be taken apart'.