Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “compensatory” come from?

Compensatory comes from French compensatoire, from French compenser, from Latin compensare, meaning to weigh together or balance, formed from Latin com- meaning together.

compensatory (English): Intended to recompense someone who has...

Definitions

  1. Intended to recompense someone who has...

Ancestry of “compensatory”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcompensatoirecompensatory
2Frenchcompenserto compensate for, to offset
3Latincompēnsō—
4Latincōn-—
5Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
6Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
7Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “compensatory”

  • overcompensatory
  • compensatorily
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →