From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
Fresh or dried fruit slow cooked in a sugar syrup, sometimes with liqueur or flavorings added, served cold. Dried fruits, such as prunes and apricots, are soaked in cold water first. Compote can also refer to chicken, pigeon or partridge that has been cooked for a long time. Compotier is a deep dish on a stem used to serve compote.
