PSA: compose vs comprise
To compose is to be a part of a whole.
ex: Gin, vodka, and vermouth compose the classic martini.
To comprise is to be a whole made of parts.
ex: The classic martini comprises gin, vodka, and vermouth.
Comprise can arguably be used as a synonym for compose:
Gin, vodka, and vermouth comprise the classic martini.
The classic martini is comprised of gin, vodka, and vermouth.
But that's totally not official, guys! It's more like one of those things people messed up for so long that it's becoming standard, and I just thought if you were going to keep using comprise like that, you should know, okay?
P.S. It's a little misleading to say that to compose is to be part of a whole, because then you could say, "Gin composes the classic martini," and that's totally not true. To compose is really to be one of a complete list of parts which make a whole.
Yep.
ex: Gin, vodka, and vermouth compose the classic martini.
To comprise is to be a whole made of parts.
ex: The classic martini comprises gin, vodka, and vermouth.
Comprise can arguably be used as a synonym for compose:
Gin, vodka, and vermouth comprise the classic martini.
The classic martini is comprised of gin, vodka, and vermouth.
But that's totally not official, guys! It's more like one of those things people messed up for so long that it's becoming standard, and I just thought if you were going to keep using comprise like that, you should know, okay?
P.S. It's a little misleading to say that to compose is to be part of a whole, because then you could say, "Gin composes the classic martini," and that's totally not true. To compose is really to be one of a complete list of parts which make a whole.
Yep.