Well-read · Often misused · Books & writing
Comprise: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Comprise verb. To consist of or be made up of.
How to say it
kum-PRIZE/kəmˈprʌɪz/
2 syllables, stressed on the second (PRIZE). Forms: comprises.
Comprise in a sentence
The flat comprises two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.
The committee comprises twelve members, three of them students.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- consist of
- contain
- include
- be made up of
Careful
The whole comprises its parts, with no 'of'. 'Is comprised of' is very common and increasingly accepted, but many editors still change it to 'consists of' or 'is composed of'.
Where comprise comes from
From French compris, included, from comprendre, to contain.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The committee _____ twelve members, three of them students.
- electrocute
- decimate
- comprise
Show the answer
comprise: The committee comprises twelve members, three of them students.