composer

Senses

1. 1.

   to compose

   to write or create a musical work

2. 2.

   to compose, to make up

   to form or constitute the parts of something

3. 3.

   to compose oneself

   to regain one's calm or control (when reflexive: se composer)

4. 4.

   to dial

   to enter numbers on a telephone keypad

Examples

• "Mozart a composé plus de 600 œuvres durant sa vie."

  Mozart composed over 600 works during his lifetime.

• "L'équipe se compose de douze joueurs."

  The team is made up of twelve players.

• "Elle s'est composée une expression sereine avant d'entrer."

  She composed herself and put on a calm expression before entering.

Usage

Composer (to compose music) is the most common sense. The reflexive form se composer means 'to compose oneself' or 'to regain composure'. In modern French, composer un numéro (to dial a number) is standard telephone usage, though less common with mobile phones. The past participle composé is also used as an adjective (e.g., passé composé, the perfect tense).