What does consisting mean?
"Consisting" is the present participle of the verb "consist," which means to be made up of particular parts or elements. It most commonly appears in the phrase "consisting of," as in "a team consisting of ten members," where it introduces the components that make something whole. Less frequently, it appears as "consisting in," a more formal construction meaning that the essence of something lies in a quality — for example, "true courage consists in acting despite fear." The word derives from Latin consistere, literally "to stand together," which captures its sense of separate elements holding together as one. Because English forbids the passive form, speakers must say something is "made up of" rather than "consisted of." "Consisting of" is a versatile, precise way to describe composition in both writing and speech.
verb (present participle of "consist")The present participle of "consist": to be made up or composed of specified elements or parts; to have something as an essential component.
- To be made up or composed of (used with "of"): the team consisted of five players.
- To have one's substance or essential nature in something (used with "in", formal): happiness consists in contentment.
"A committee consisting of seven members will review the proposals."
"The buffet was a simple meal consisting of bread, cheese, and fruit."
"True elegance consists in simplicity rather than ornamentation."
"Consist" comes from Latin roots meaning literally "to stand together" — so anything consisting of parts is, etymologically speaking, a group of things standing together.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of consisting
"Consisting" derives from Latin consistere, formed from com- ("together") and sistere ("to stand"), giving the literal sense "to stand firm together." The word entered Middle French before passing into English in the late sixteenth century, where it developed its two modern senses: composition with "of" and essence with "in." It shares this Latin root sistere with cognates such as "exist," "subsist," "persist," and "resist," all of which preserve the idea of standing or holding in some state.
How consisting is actually used
Formal to neutral register. The verb takes no passive form — you cannot say something "is consisted of"; use "is made up of" or "is composed of" instead. In everyday speech, "consisting of" often appears in reduced relative clauses after nouns.
Easily confused with consisting
"Comprising" already means "consisting of," so the phrase "comprising of" is redundant and considered incorrect, whereas "consisting" requires "of."