Compton

American  

[komp-tuhn] / ˈkɒmp tən /

noun

1. Arthur Holly 1892–1962, U.S. physicist: Nobel Prize 1927.

2. his brother Karl Taylor 1887–1954, U.S. physicist.

3. Spencer, Earl of Wilmington, 1673?–1743, British statesman: prime minister 1742–43.

4. a city in SW California.

---

Compton British  

noun

1. Arthur Holly. 1892–1962, US physicist, noted for his research on X-rays, gamma rays, and nuclear energy: Nobel prize for physics 1927

2. Denis . 1918–97, English cricketer, who played for Middlesex and England (1937–57); broke two records in 1947 scoring 3816 runs and 18 centuries in one season

---

Compton Scientific  

/ kŏmp′tən /

1. American physicist who showed that when particles of light (called photons) collide with other particles, such as electrons, they lose energy and momentum and the light's wavelength increases. For his discovery of this phenomenon (which became known as the Compton effect) he shared the 1927 Nobel Prize for physics with Charles Wilson. He also discovered the electrical nature of cosmic rays.

---

Example Sentences

Unified and Compton Unified — two school systems singled out by experts for their rapid, recent rise in test scores.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

Ali was doubly surprised because the mailers went out to voters just a few weeks after Waters attended an unveiling ceremony for the new Compton High School campus.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

He appears to take aim at his rival with some lyrics, accusing him of using his birthplace of Compton, Los Angeles as a backdrop for acts of charity, while escaping to a celebrity life elsewhere.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Recent bright spots of progress include Compton, L.A. and Modesto.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

As Lawrence and Compton both recalled, the general reaction was negative.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik