Is it "comprised of" or "composed of"?

A little morei

Comprise means contain: "the team comprises five members." Compose means make up: "five members compose the team," or "the team is composed of five members." The phrase "comprised of" jumbles the two — widely used, widely flagged by editors.

The full entryii

More quick answersiii

• → Can I say "comprised of"? In casual writing, yes — it is everywhere. In careful prose, use composed of or comprises instead.
• → What's the difference between "comprise" and "compose"? The whole comprises the parts. The parts compose the whole. Opposite directions.