meaning - When do you use what word to express that something consists of something else?


There are various ways of saying that something consists of something else:



  • composed of

  • comprised of

  • contained in

  • consist of


Maybe there are more. Are there hard and fast rules when to use which or are they synonyms?



Answer



Here are some thoughts:



  • "composed of" refers to the parts of a thing from the point of view of the subject

  • "comprising" or "comprises" (not "comprised of" though ardent descriptivists will gnash their teeth at me) can refer to either.

  • "contained in" refers to the container from the point of view of its constituent parts

  • "consist of" or "consists of" refers to the elements of a thing, with the added implication that these elements are sine qua non — without them, the thing would not be what it is.


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