Decomposer

noun

/ˌdiːkəmˈpəʊzər/

An organism — typically a bacterium or fungus — that breaks down dead organic matter into simpler inorganic substances, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Just as a decomposer quietly returns spent matter to the soil so that fresh life may flourish, a robust waste-management and circular-economy framework can convert urban refuse into a resource, sustaining both ecological balance and livelihoods.

Synonyms

saprotrophdetritivorereducerscavengerdecay agentbreaker-down

Antonyms

producercomposersynthesiserassembler

🌱 Word Family

decompose (v), decomposed (adj), decomposing (v pres.p), decomposition (n), decomposable (adj)

🔡 Root

French dé- = reversal + composer = to put together (Latin com- + ponere) + -er = agent

📜 Etymology

From decompose (from French décomposer, from dé- meaning opposite of + composer, to put together) + -er; first used as "a decomposing agent" in 1821.

🧠 Memory Hook

De- (undo) + compose (put together): a decomposer "un-composes" the dead, taking apart what life built up.

⚗️ General Science 📖 Seen in: Ecology & Environment Basics — Ecosyst...

Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation