decompose

verb

Etymology: Borrowed from Middle French décomposer. Equivalent to de- + compose.

1. To separate or break down (something) into its components.

   “Various fungi can decompose wood.”

   “Our team decomposed this task into several subtasks that could be successfully distributed.”

2. To rot, decay or putrefy.

   “Plastics can take centuries to decompose.”

   “Nor had the post mortem on Newson's body revealed any illness or other physical condition that might have prevented him from applying the brake, although after four days in the oven-like heat of the wreckage, the body was so badly decomposed as to make any reliable post mortem results unlikely.”