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Added 9 October 2026

compress

/kəmˈpɹɛs/ verb

In Latin: comprimō, stringō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about compress at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To make smaller; to press or squeeze together, or to make something occupy a smaller space or volume.
The force required to compress a spring varies linearly with the displacement.
To be pressed together or folded by compression into a more economic, easier format.
Our new model compresses easily, ideal for storage and travel
To condense into a more economic, easier format.
This chart compresses the entire audit report into a few lines on a single diagram.

noun

A multiply folded piece of cloth, a pouch of ice, etc., used to apply to a patient's skin, cover the dressing of wounds, and placed with the aid of a bandage to apply pressure on an injury.
He held a cold compress over the sprain.
A machine for compressing.

Origin

From Middle English compressen, from Old French compresser, from Late Latin compressare (“to press hard/together”), from Latin compressus, the past participle of comprimō (“to compress”), itself from com- (“together”) + premō (“press”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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