compression

American  

[kuhm-presh-uhn] / kəmˈprɛʃ ən /

Rarely compressure

noun

1. the act of compressing.

   When performing CPR, give 30 chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.

2. the state of being compressed, or the effect, result, or consequence of being compressed.

   Compression of the nerves can lead to tingling and numbness farther down the arm.

3. (in internal-combustion engines) the reduction in volume and increase of pressure of the air or combustible mixture in the cylinder prior to ignition, produced by the motion of the piston toward the cylinder head after intake.

4. Also called data compression.  Computers. reduction of the storage space required for data by changing its format.

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adjective

1. Computers. relating to the process of reducing the storage space required for data by changing its format.

   Experiments show that this approach can effectively improve the compression ratio of existing codes.

2. being or relating to a type of medical garment that provides pressure and support, reduces swelling, promotes circulation, holds tissue in place, etc..

   Ask your doctor if compression stockings would help the swelling in your legs.

   After surgery, it may be necessary to wear a compression garment.

   Compression sleeves are an important part of lymphedema management.

compression British  

/ kəmˈprɛʃən /

noun

1. Also called: compressure.  the act of compressing or the condition of being compressed

2. an increase in pressure of the charge in an engine or compressor obtained by reducing its volume

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compression Scientific  

/ kəm-prĕsh′ən /

1. A force that tends to shorten or squeeze something, decreasing its volume.

2. The degree to which a substance has decreased in size (in volume, length, or some other dimension) after being or while being subject to stress.

3. See also strain

4. The re-encoding of data (usually the binary data used by computers) into a form that uses fewer bits of information than the original data. Compression is often used to speed the transmission of data such as text or visual images, or to minimize the memory resources needed to store such data.

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compression Cultural  

1. See data compression.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• compressional
  adjective
• noncompression
  noun
• overcompression
  noun
• precompression
  noun
• supercompression
  noun

Etymology

Origin of compression

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin compressiōn-, stem of compressiō; equivalent to compress + -ion

Explanation

Whenever something is squished together, compression takes place, like a tight bandage around your sprained ankle — the compression helps protect it from further injury. Compression comes from the Latin word compressare, meaning “to press together.” Compression is an important part of how car engines function: fuel and air are compressed then ignited and that makes the power that turns the wheels. Compression can also happen to your day's schedule, such as when a snow storm causes school to start late, a schedule compression means that you have all your classes but they are shorter.

Example Sentences

“It’s a compression of life, without transition, so you go from fighting to love, to forgetting, to dying, to rebirth,” Chamblas said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

Although standard measurements classified the storms as moderate, the compression itself appeared unusually intense.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

A company representative said 5% of the homes in the community might have been affected by “what is believed to be compression of native soils in isolated areas.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

While investors may see a low ERP as a risk to stocks, its compression is the result of climbing bond yields, according to Martin Adams.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

There is squeezing in her whole body—the compression socks, her shoes, her lungs, her heart.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti