compensation

[ kom-puhn-sey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act or state of compensating, as by rewarding someone for service or by making up for someone's loss, damage, or injury by giving the injured party an appropriate benefit.
2. the state of being compensated or rewarded in this way.
3. something given or received as an equivalent for services, debt, loss, injury, suffering, lack, etc.; indemnity:

   The insurance company paid him $2000 as compensation for the loss of his car.

   Synonyms: indemnification, satisfaction, requital, reparation, amends, payment, recompense

4. Biology. the improvement of any defect by the excessive development or action of another structure or organ of the same structure.
5. Psychology. a mechanism by which an individual attempts to make up for some real or imagined deficiency of personality or behavior by developing or stressing another aspect of the personality or by substituting a different form of behavior.

compensation

/ ˌkɒmpɛnˈseɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of making amends for something
2. something given as reparation for loss, injury, etc; indemnity
3. the automatic movements made by the body to maintain balance
4. the attempt to conceal or offset one's shortcomings by the exaggerated exhibition of qualities regarded as desirable
5. biology abnormal growth and increase in size in one organ in response to the removal or inactivation of another

Derived Forms

• ˌcompenˈsational, adjective

Other Words From

• compen·sation·al adjective
• noncom·pen·sation noun
• precom·pen·sation noun
• procom·pen·sation adjective
• subcom·pen·sation noun
• subcom·pen·sation·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of compensation¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English compensacioun, from Latin compēnsātiōn-, stem of compēnsātiō “a balancing”; equivalent to compensate + -ion

Example Sentences

The case ultimately came to the Supreme Court, which in 1988 unanimously rejected Falwell’s claim that he was entitled to financial compensation for a parody calculated to inflict ridicule and emotional distress.

From Washington Post

It also intends to expand the prohibition on confidentiality and nondisparagement clauses to cover employment agreements that tie these clauses to severance compensation.

From Washington Post

That change would make workers’ compensation available to those who die or are disabled from the disease.

From Washington Post

The costly compensation contributes to the state’s top rank for property taxes.

From ProPublica

She believes salaries will start to level out as workforces become more geographically dispersed thanks to remote working, so companies better get on top of their compensation methodologies, quickly.

From Digiday

That precludes paying much mind to attribution or compensation.

From The Daily Beast

At first glance, it might be tempting to interpret this extravagant level of compensation as a victory for the once-humble intern.

From The Daily Beast

An industry source said Pippa's compensation will be in the Chelsea Clinton range.

From The Daily Beast

This allows for artist compensation based on revenue rather than royalty, as Spotify does.

From The Daily Beast

Sociologists refer to this sort of in-midair rapid switch as risk compensation.

From The Daily Beast

My schooling was shocking but, as a blessed compensation, my college stage was rather exceptionally good.

From Project Gutenberg

She had expected personality, magnetism, as a compensation for nature's external economies.

From Project Gutenberg

First, a voluntary undertaking to work for another without compensation cannot be enforced.

From Project Gutenberg

Directors in most cases receive no compensation though the practice is growing of rewarding them.

From Project Gutenberg

A director who performs a different service, serves as an attorney, for example, may receive compensation for it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• allowance
• benefit
• bonus
• coverage
• earnings
• fee
• indemnity
• pay
• payment
• payoff
• premium
• profit
• redress
• reimbursement
• remittance
• remuneration
• reparation
• restitution
• reward
• salary