Com*pos"ite (?; 277), n. That
which is made up of parts or compounded of several elements;
composition; combination; compound. [R.]
Com*pos"ite (?; 277), a. [L.
compositus made up of parts, p. p. of componere.
See Compound, v. t., and cf.
Compost.] 1. Made up of distinct
parts or elements; compounded; as, a composite
language.
Happiness, like air and water . . . is
composite.
Landor.
2. (Arch.) Belonging to a certain
order which is composed of the Ionic order grafted upon the
Corinthian. It is called also the Roman or the
Italic order, and is one of the five orders recognized by
the Italian writers of the sixteenth century. See
Capital.
3. (Bot.) Belonging to the order
Compositæ; bearing involucrate heads of many small
florets, as the daisy, thistle, and dandelion.
Composite carriage, a railroad car
having compartments of different classes. [Eng.] --
Composite number (Math.), one which
can be divided exactly by a number exceeding unity, as 6 by 2 or
3.. -- Composite photograph or
portrait, one made by a combination, or blending,
of several distinct photographs. F. Galton. --
Composite sailing (Naut.), a
combination of parallel and great circle sailing. --
Composite ship, one with a wooden casing
and iron frame.