Composition vs. Design — What's the Difference?

The combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole.

To conceive or fashion in the mind; invent

The manner in which such parts are combined or related.

A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process, or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product or process. The verb to design expresses the process of developing a design.

General makeup

A plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is made

The result or product of composing; a mixture or compound.

A decorative pattern

Arrangement of artistic parts so as to form a unified whole.

Purpose or planning that exists behind an action, fact, or object

The art or act of composing a musical or literary work.

Decide upon the look and functioning of (a building, garment, or other object), by making a detailed drawing of it

A work of music, literature, or art, or its structure or organization.

To formulate a plan for; devise

A short essay, especially one written as an academic exercise.

To make a graphic or schematic representation of (something), especially as a plan for its structure

(Law) A settlement whereby the creditors of a debtor about to enter bankruptcy agree, in return for some financial consideration, usually proffered immediately, to the discharge of their respective claims on receipt of payment which is in a lesser amount than that actually owed on the claim.

To create or contrive for a particular purpose or effect

(Linguistics) The formation of compounds from separate words.

To have as a goal or purpose; intend

(Printing) Typesetting.

To make or execute plans.

The act of putting together; assembly.

To create designs.

A mixture or compound; the result of composing.

A drawing or sketch.

The proportion of different parts to make a whole.

A graphic representation, especially a detailed plan for construction or manufacture.

The general makeup of a thing or person.

An ornamental pattern.

(obsolete) An agreement or treaty used to settle differences; later especially, an agreement to stop hostilities; a truce.

The purposeful or inventive arrangement of parts or details

(obsolete) A payment of money in order to clear a liability or obligation; a settling or fine.

A particular plan or method

A payment of fine in order to settle a (usually minor) criminal charge.

The art or practice of designing or making designs

(legal) an agreement or compromise by which a creditor or group of creditors accepts partial payment from a debtor.

A reasoned purpose; an intent

An essay.

Deliberate intention

(linguistics) The formation of compound words from separate words.

Often designs A secretive or underhanded plot or scheme

A work of music, literature or art.

A specification of an object or process, referring to requirements to be satisfied and thus conditions to be met for them to solve a problem.

(printing) Typesetting.

A plan (with more or less detail) for the structure and functions of an artifact, building or system.

(mathematics) Applying a function to the result of another.

A pattern, as an element of a work of art or architecture.

(physics) The compounding of two velocities or forces into a single equivalent velocity or force.

The composition of a work of art.

(obsolete) Consistency; accord; congruity.

Intention or plot.

Synthesis as opposed to analysis.

(particularly) Malicious or malevolent intention.

The arrangement and flow of elements in a picture.

The shape or appearance given to an object, especially one that is intended to make it more attractive.

(object-oriented programming) Way to combine simple objects or data types into more complex ones.

The art of designing

The act or art of composing, or forming a whole or integral, by placing together and uniting different things, parts, or ingredients.

(transitive) To plan and carry out (a picture, work of art, construction etc.).

The state of being put together or composed; conjunction; combination; adjustment.

To plan (to do something).

A mass or body formed by combining two or more substances; as, a chemical composition.

To assign, appoint (something to someone); to designate.

A literary, musical, or artistic production, especially one showing study and care in arrangement; - often used of an elementary essay or translation done as an educational exercise.

To mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint.

Consistency; accord; congruity.

To manifest requirements to be satisfied by an object or process for them to solve a problem.

Mutual agreement to terms or conditions for the settlement of a difference or controversy; also, the terms or conditions of settlement; agreement.

To draw preliminary outline or main features of; to sketch for a pattern or model; to delineate; to trace out; to draw.

The adjustment of a debt, or avoidance of an obligation, by some form of compensation agreed on between the parties; also, the sum or amount of compensation agreed upon in the adjustment.

To mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint.

Synthesis as opposed to analysis.

To create or produce, as a work of art; to form a plan or scheme of; to form in idea; to invent; to project; to lay out in the mind; as, a man designs an essay, a poem, a statue, or a cathedral.

A mixture of ingredients

To intend or purpose; - usually with for before the remote object, but sometimes with to.

The way in which someone or something is composed

To form a design or designs; to plan.

The spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole;

A preliminary sketch; an outline or pattern of the main features of something to be executed, as of a picture, a building, or a decoration; a delineation; a plan.

A musical work that has been created;

A plan or scheme formed in the mind of something to be done; preliminary conception; idea intended to be expressed in a visible form or carried into action; intention; purpose; - often used in a bad sense for evil intention or purpose; scheme; plot.

Musical creation

Specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design.

The act of creating written works;

The realization of an inventive or decorative plan; esp., a work of decorative art considered as a new creation; conception or plan shown in completed work; as, this carved panel is a fine design, or of a fine design.

Art and technique of printing with movable type

The invention and conduct of the subject; the disposition of every part, and the general order of the whole.

An essay (especially one written as an assignment);

The act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan);

Something that is created by arranging several things to form a unified whole;

An arrangement scheme;

Something intended as a guide for making something else;

A decorative or artistic work;

An anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions;

A preliminary sketch indicating the plan for something;

The creation of something in the mind

Make or work out a plan for; devise;

Design something for a specific role or purpose or effect;

Create the design for; create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled manner;

Make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form;

Create designs;

Conceive or fashion in the mind; invent;

Intend or have as a purpose;