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compensatory

 - 4 dictionary results

com⋅pen⋅sa⋅to⋅ry

  [kuhm-pen-suh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]
Use compensatory in a Sentence
–adjective
1. serving to compensate, as for loss, lack, or injury.
2. countercyclical.
Also, com⋅pen⋅sa⋅tive  [kom-puhn-sey-tiv, kuhm-pen-suh-] .

Origin:
1595–1605; compensate + -ory 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To compensatory
com·pen·sate   (kŏm'pən-sāt')   
v.   com·pen·sat·ed, com·pen·sat·ing, com·pen·sates

v.   tr.

  1. To offset; counterbalance.

  2. To make satisfactory payment or reparation to; recompense or reimburse: Management compensated us for the time we worked.

  3. To stabilize the purchasing power of (a monetary unit) by changing the gold content in order to counterbalance price variations.

v.   intr.
To serve as or provide a substitute or counterbalance.

[Latin compēnsāre, compēnsāt- : com-, com- + pēnsāre, to weigh; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots.]
com'pen·sa'tive (kŏm'pən-sā'tĭv, kəm-pěn'sə-tĭv) adj., com'pen·sa'tor n., com·pen'sa·to'ry (kəm-pěn'sə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: com·pen·sa·to·ry
Pronunciation: k&m-'pen(t)-s&-"tOr-E, -"tor-
Function: adjective
: making up for a loss;especially : serving as psychic or physiological compensation <compensatory enlargement of the heart> compensatory mechanisms as intelligent aggression or shrewdness —Edward Sapir>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

compensatory com·pen·sa·to·ry (kəm-pěn'sə-tôr'ē)
adj.
Relating to or characterized by compensation.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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