compensation

[kom-puhn-sey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or state of compensating, as by rewarding someone for service or by making up for someone's loss, damage, or injury by giving the injured party an appropriate benefit.

2. the state of being compensated or rewarded in this way.

3. something given or received as an equivalent for services, debt, loss, injury, suffering, lack, etc.; indemnity.

   The insurance company paid him $2000 as compensation for the loss of his car.

   Synonyms: indemnification, satisfaction, requital, reparation, amends, payment, recompense

4. Biology.,  the improvement of any defect by the excessive development or action of another structure or organ of the same structure.

5. Psychology.,  a mechanism by which an individual attempts to make up for some real or imagined deficiency of personality or behavior by developing or stressing another aspect of the personality or by substituting a different form of behavior.

compensation

/ ˌkɒmpɛnˈseɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of making amends for something

2. something given as reparation for loss, injury, etc; indemnity

3. the automatic movements made by the body to maintain balance

4. the attempt to conceal or offset one's shortcomings by the exaggerated exhibition of qualities regarded as desirable

5. biology abnormal growth and increase in size in one organ in response to the removal or inactivation of another

Other Word Forms

• compensational adjective
• noncompensation noun
• precompensation noun
• procompensation adjective
• subcompensation noun
• subcompensational adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of compensation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English compensacioun, from Latin compēnsātiōn-, stem of compēnsātiō “a balancing”; equivalent to compensate + -ion

Example Sentences

Millions of motorists should be paid compensation next year for the mis-selling of car loans, the UK's financial regulator has told MPs.

From BBC

About 10 bills including laws for sign language protections and compensation to survivors of mother and baby homes are currently going through the legislative process.

From BBC

Already the tribe, known as the Guardians of St Catherine, have had their homes and tourist eco-camps demolished with little or no compensation.

From BBC

“It will provide meaningful compensation for each class work and sets a precedent requiring AI companies to pay copyright owners,” said Justin Nelson, a lawyer for the authors, in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

Even with the investigation into the Eaton wildfire continuing, Southern California Edison said Wednesday it was creating a program where victims could apply for compensation for damages they suffered.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• allowance 
• benefit 
• bonus 
• coverage 
• earnings 
• fee 
• indemnity 
• pay 
• payment 
• payoff 
• premium 
• profit 
• redress 
• reimbursement 
• remittance 
• remuneration 
• reparation 
• restitution 
• reward 
• salary