reparation

American  

[rep-uh-rey-shuhn] / ˌrɛp əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. 1. the making of amends for wrong or injury done.

      In reparation for the injustice, the king made him head of the agricultural department.

   2. something done or given to make amends.

      The prosecutor has requested a reparation of $32 million to victims of the crime.

   Synonyms:

   compensation, satisfaction, atonement, indemnification

2. Usually reparations

   1. compensation in money, material, labor, etc., payable by a defeated country to another country or to an individual for loss suffered during or as a result of war.

      The U.S. government eventually disbursed reparations to Japanese Americans who had been interned during World War II.

   2. monetary or other compensation payable by a country to an individual for a historical wrong.

      The article is about reparations to Black people for the enslavement of their ancestors.

3. restoration to good condition.

   Synonyms:

   repair, renovate, renewal

   Antonyms:

   destruction

4. repair.

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reparation British  

/ rɪˈpærətɪv, ˌrɛpəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of making amends

   an injury admitting of no reparation

2. (usually plural) compensation exacted as an indemnity from a defeated nation by the victors: esp the compensation demanded of Germany by the Treaty of Versailles after World War I

3. the act or process of repairing or state of having been repaired

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reparation Cultural  

1. Compensation demanded by a victorious nation from a defeated nation. Reparations can be in the form of goods or money.

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Related Words

See redress.

Discover More

After World War I, heavy reparation debts were imposed on Germany by Britain, France, and the other victorious nations. Resentment over these reparations aided the rise of Adolf Hitler.

Other Word Forms

• nonreparation
  noun
• reparative
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of reparation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English reparacion, from Middle French, from Late Latin reparātiōn- (stem of reparātiō ), equivalent to Latin reparāt(us) (past participle of reparāre “to repair” ( see repair ¹, -ate ¹) + -iōn- noun suffix ( see -ion)

Explanation

If you guessed that reparation is related to the word repair, you were right. Both come from the Latin word meaning "to restore." While reparation has a range of meanings, they all convey the sense of fixing or making up for a past wrong. In contemporary usage, the plural form is more common than the singular. Victims of a crime, for example, may receive reparations from the perpetrators. A defeated nation may be forced to pay reparations to its victorious enemies. Many have suggested that the United States government should provide reparations to the descendants of slaves. The word almost always has legal or political connotations, and it conveys the sense of restitution — often expressed in money — for wrongdoing.

Example Sentences

The “Michael Vick Reparation Park” full of happy barking dogs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

Reparation can be symbolic, psychological, or economic, according to the agreement.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

The diocese said Bishop Robert Brennan also celebrated a Mass of Reparation at the church and “through the offering of this Mass, Bishop Brennan has restored the sanctity of this church and repaired the harm.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 28, 2023

The Mandatory Reparation Tax was intended to apply to shareholders who have 10% or greater share in a corporation as a one-time tax.

From Washington Times • Nov. 23, 2023

"Reparation for the past, and security for the future is our motto," wrote the President to Du Pont de Nemours.

From Thomas Jefferson The Apostle of Americanism by Chinard, Gilbert

Related Words

• apology
• atonement
• indemnity
• payment
• redress
• remuneration
• renewal
• repayment
• restitution