Calm and in control of one's emotions; having one's feelings under control. Also refers to something created or written, especially music or literature.
From Latin 'componere' meaning 'to put together', from 'com-' (together) + 'ponere' (to place). The sense of emotional calmness developed from the idea of having one's elements 'put together' in proper order.
The dual meaning of 'composed' beautifully reflects how we think about order - both Mozart composing a symphony and someone staying composed under pressure involve arranging elements in harmonious balance. It's fascinating that the same word describes both creative assembly and emotional control.
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