compote
UK[ˈkɒmpɒt]US[ˈkɑːmpoʊt]
n
a dessert of fruit stewed in a syrup, often served cold.
n
a deep, stemmed dish for holding such a dessert or other food.
Morpheme Breakdown
com
pote
com
with
pote
Etymology
the word 'compote' entered english in the late 17th century from french, where it originally denoted fruit cooked in syrup. the french term derived from the old french 'composte', meaning 'mixture' or 'composition', which itself came from the latin 'composita', the feminine past participle of 'componere' meaning 'to put together'. the literal sense of 'putting together' (com-) ingredients in a pot (pote) evolved into the specific culinary meaning of a prepared mixture of stewed fruit. this reflects the transformation from a general concept of a composite mixture to a specialized term for a specific sweet dish.
Analysis
Structure: com + pote
com- (latin, prefix meaning 'with' or 'together'); pote (from old french 'pot', meaning 'pot', ultimately of germanic origin).
Examples
for dessert, she served a delicious pear and ginger compote.
the compote was presented in a beautiful crystal dish.
he spooned some berry compote over his morning yogurt.