compositor
(kəmˈpɒzɪtə(r))
Also 4 -ur, 6– our, 7 -er (-poster).
[a. AF. compositour = F. compositeur, ad. L. compositōr-em, agent-n. from compōnĕre, composit-: see compone, compose.]
† 1. One who composes or settles a dispute, etc.; an umpire, arbiter, peace-maker. Sc. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 88 Thai trowyt that he, as gud nychtbur, And as freyndsome compositur, Wald hawe Iugyt in lawte. 1527 Ld. Treas. Acc. Sc. in Pitcairn Crim. Trials I. 272* Þe Bischop of Galloway, ane of the Compositouris at þe said Airis. 1533 Bellenden Livy i. (1822) 4 Thir princes war compositouris of pece. |
† 2. One who composes or compiles a literary work. Obs. rare.
| c 1532 G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. (1852) 895 Many..have composed..rules..before that they have ben conynge..The sayd composytours..ben by nature checked, reproued and corrected. |
3. Printing. One whose business is to set up type to print from; a type-setter.
| 1569 Pref. Verse J. Hart's Orthogr., The compositor to the reader. 1594 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. ii. 337 If the Compositor faile in the setting of his letters, the Printer that putteth ynke vpon the fourmes, doeth not correct the faultes of the Compositor. 1632 Quarles Div. Fancies iv. iii. (1660) 142 The world's a Printing House..Each Soul is a Composter, of whose faults The Levires are Correctors: Heav'n revises; Death is the common Press. 1824 J. Johnson Typogr. II. vi. 127 By the laws of printing, indeed, a compositor should abide by his copy. 1878 Morley Diderot I. 156 Fifty compositors were..setting up a book. |