compressor

American  

[kuhm-pres-er] / kəmˈprɛs ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that compresses.

2. Anatomy. a muscle that compresses some part of the body.

3. Surgery. an instrument for compressing a part of the body.

4. a pump or other machine for reducing volume and increasing pressure of gases in order to condense the gases, drive pneumatically powered machinery, etc.

5. Electronics. a transducer that produces an output with a range of voltages whose ratio is smaller than that of the range of the input signal.

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compressor British  

/ kəmˈprɛsə /

noun

1. any reciprocating or rotating device that compresses a gas

2. the part of a gas turbine that compresses the air before it enters the combustion chambers

3. any muscle that causes compression of any part or structure

4. a medical instrument for holding down a part of the body

5. an electronic device for reducing the variation in signal amplitude in a transmission system Compare expander compander

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Etymology

Origin of compressor

First recorded in 1745–55; compress + -or ²

Explanation

A compressor is a type of pump that provides power by increasing the pressure on air or another gas. Most gas stations use compressors to provide air for their customers to fill their tires. Compressors are used in a wide variety of ways. Pneumatic power tools, like nail guns, have built-in compressors, as do tools used for spray-painting cars, dental instruments, and even the machinery used to make artificial snow at ski resorts. When this term was first used, around 1785, it referred to a specific surgical instrument, from the Latin root comprimere, "to squeeze."

Example Sentences

Silent refrigerators and easy on/off TVs: California resident Jo Pitesky says she dreams of refrigerators that don’t wake you up at night as the compressor cycles on and off.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

To serve this seemingly insatiable market, Karman has developed a rotating compressor that spins at 30,000 revolutions per minute — nearly 10 times faster than traditional compressors — to move heat.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

"On top I've got an eight-gallon water tank. I fill it up, pump it with an air compressor, and I can take a shower out in the wild. At least I have somewhere to live."

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2025

It wasn’t easy: The half-ton compressor needed to drive the team’s large pneumatic drill was too heavy for their helicopter.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 2, 2024

But for the locomotive idling and a compressor cycling to feed the brakes, the night was ghostly still.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario