Meanings
nouncompensation (countable and uncountable, plural compensations)
plural compensations
- countableuncountableThe act or principle of compensating.
Human labor, through all its forms, from the sharpening of a stake to the construction of a city or an epic, is one immense illustration of the perfect compensation of the universe.
1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Compensation”, in EssaysSynonyms: restitution, recompensation, assyth, atonement, expiation, redress, indemnification, piation
- countableuncountableSomething which is regarded as an equivalent; something which compensates for loss.
No pecuniary compensation can possibly reward them.
1796, Edmund Burke, A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund Burke to a Noble Lord, on the Attacks Made upon Him and His Pension, […], London: […] J. Owen, […], and F[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC1 more example
The parliament which dissolved the monastic foundations […] vouchsafed not a word toward securing the slightest compensation to the dispossessed owners.
1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, […], →OCLCSynonyms: amends, remuneration, recompense, recompensation
- countableuncountablebusinessThe extinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors by the credits of which they are reciprocally creditors; the payment of a debt by a credit of equal amount.
Synonyms: set-off
- countableuncountablebusinessAn equivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate, in which it is customary to provide that errors in description, etc., shall not avoid, but shall be the subject of compensation.
- countableuncountableThe relationship between air temperature outside a building and a calculated target temperature for provision of air or water to contained rooms or spaces for the purpose of efficient heating. In building control systems, the compensation curve is defined to a compensator for this purpose.
- countableuncountablemedicineThe ability of one part of the brain to overfunction in order to take over the function of a damaged part (e.g. following a stroke).
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act or principle of compensating.
nounSomething which is regarded as an equivalent; something which compensates for loss.
nounThe extinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors by the credits of which they are reciprocally creditors; the payment of a debt by a credit of equal amount.
Similar
nounA recompense or reward for service.
Similar
Opposite
Narrower
autocompensationblood moneyconscience moneyericjust compensationlaunegildhadbotmagbotemanbotemicroreparationsoctogildorfgildovercompensationprecompensationseverance paysolatiumwar reparationswerwergeldworkman's compensationworkmen's compensationworker's compensationworkers' compensationmalcompensationundercompensation
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe act of compensating for service or loss or injury
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latincompensātiōnem
- Old Frenchcompensacion
- Middle Englishcompensacioun
- Englishcompensation
From Middle English compensacioun, from Old French compensacion, from Latin compensātiōnem, accusative singular of compensātiō. Equivalent to compensate + -ion.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἄποινα
- ἄποινα (ápoina)recompense or reward for service
Bulgarian обезщетение, компенсация
- обезщетение (obezštetenie)act or principle of compensating
- компенсация (kompensacija)that which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- уравняване (uravnjavane)that which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- уравняване (uravnjavane)extinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- обезщетение (obezštetenie)recompense or reward for service
- компенсация (kompensacija)equivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
Catalan compensació, compensació
- compensacióact or principle of compensating
- compensacióthat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- compensacióextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
Dutch compensatie, compensatie
- compensatieact or principle of compensating
- compensatiethat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- compensatieextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- schuldvergelijkingextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- compensatierecompense or reward for service
- smartengeldrecompense or reward for service
- Compensatieequivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
Estonian hüvitis
- hüvitisrecompense or reward for service
Finnish kompensaatio, korvaus
- kompensaatioact or principle of compensating
- korvausact or principle of compensating
- hyvitysact or principle of compensating
- palkkaact or principle of compensating
- vastikeact or principle of compensating
- kompensaatiothat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- vastikethat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- kuittausextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- kompensaatiorecompense or reward for service
- korvausrecompense or reward for service
- hyvitysrecompense or reward for service
- palkkiorecompense or reward for service
French compensation, compensation
- compensationact or principle of compensating
- compensationthat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- compensationextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- dédommagementrecompense or reward for service
- émolumentrecompense or reward for service
- indemnisationrecompense or reward for service
- compensationequivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
- contrepartieequivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
German Abfindung, Kompensation
- Abfindungact or principle of compensating
- Kompensationact or principle of compensating
- Kompensationthat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- Ausgleichthat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- Ersatzthat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- Aufrechnungextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- Kompensationrecompense or reward for service
- Entlohnungrecompense or reward for service
- Kompensierungrecompense or reward for service
- Kompensierungequivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
- Wiedergutmachungequivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
- Ausgleichrelationship between air temperature outside a building and a calculated target temperature
Greek αποζημίωση, αντιστάθμιση
- αποζημίωση (apozimíosi)act or principle of compensating
- αντιστάθμιση (antistáthmisi)that which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- συμψηφισμός (sympsifismós)extinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- αποζημίωση (apozimíosi)recompense or reward for service
- αμοιβή (amoiví)recompense or reward for service
- αποζημίωση (apozimíosi)equivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
- αντιστάθμιση (antistáthmisi)relationship between air temperature outside a building and a calculated target temperature
Hebrew פיצוי, תשלום
- פיצוי (pitsúy)act or principle of compensating
- תשלום (tashlúm)act or principle of compensating
- שיפוי (shipúy)act or principle of compensating
- תגמול (tagmúl)act or principle of compensating
- פיצוי (pitsúy)that which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- תמורה (tmurá)that which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- קיזוז (kizúz)extinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- תשלום (tashlúm)recompense or reward for service
- תמורה (tmurá)recompense or reward for service
Hindi प्रतिकर, क्षतिपूर्ति
- प्रतिकर (pratikar)act or principle of compensating
- क्षतिपूर्ति (kṣatipūrti)act or principle of compensating
Hungarian kárpótlás
- kárpótlásrecompense or reward for service
Indonesian ganti rugi, kompensasi
- ganti rugithat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- kompensasithat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- pampasanthat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- ganti untungthat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
Italian compensazione, remunerazione
- compensazioneact or principle of compensating
- remunerazionethat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- pagathat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- retribuzionethat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- compensothat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- indennizzothat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- contributothat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- risarcimentothat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- corrispettivoextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- ricompensarecompense or reward for service
- contropartitaequivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
- compensazionerelationship between air temperature outside a building and a calculated target temperature
Māori moni whakaea, utu whakaea
- moni whakaeathat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- utu whakaeathat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- moni whakaearecompense or reward for service
- utu whakaearecompense or reward for service
Norwegian Bokmål kompensasjon
- kompensasjonact or principle of compensating
Polish kompensacja, rekompensata
- kompensacjaact or principle of compensating
- rekompensatathat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- kompensacjaextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
Portuguese compensação
- compensaçãoact or principle of compensating
Romanian compensare, compensație
- compensareact or principle of compensating
- compensațiethat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- compensațieequivalent stipulated for in contracts for the sale of real estate
- compensarerelationship between air temperature outside a building and a calculated target temperature
Russian компенса́ция, возмеще́ние
- компенса́ция (kompensácija)act or principle of compensating
- возмеще́ние (vozmeščénije)act or principle of compensating
- ура́внивание (urávnivanije)extinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
Spanish contrapartida
- contrapartidathat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
Swedish ersättning
- ersättningrecompense or reward for service
Tagalog pagbibigaypala, himawis
- pagbibigaypalaact or principle of compensating
- himawisact or principle of compensating
- bigaypalathat which constitutes, or is regarded as, an equivalent
- bigaypalaextinction of debts of which two persons are reciprocally debtors
- bigaypalarecompense or reward for service
Turkish telafi, tazminat
- telafiact or principle of compensating
- tazminatrecompense or reward for service
- ödencerecompense or reward for service
Ukrainian компенса́ція
- компенса́ція (kompensácija)act or principle of compensating
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with compensation
informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
compensation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compensation
MLA
“compensation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compensation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “compensation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compensation.
Source: compensation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.