compression wave
or compressional wave
noun
a shock wave that compresses the medium through which it is transmitted.
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Compare expansion wave.
Origin of compression wave
First recorded in 1885–90
Words nearby compression wave
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for compression wave
Indeed a compression-wave of this kind passes through the gas-mixture, heated by the combustion to a very high temperature.