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Origin and history of compensation

compensation(n.)

late 14c., "action of compensating," from Latin compensationem (nominative compensatio) "a weighing one thing against another, a balancing," noun of action from past participle stem of compensare "to weigh one thing (against another)," thus, "to counterbalance," from com "with, together" (see com-) + pensare, frequentative of pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weigh; pay" (from PIE root *(s)pen-"to draw, stretch, spin").

Meaning "what is given in recompense" is from c. 1600; meaning "amends for loss or damages" is from 1804; meaning "salary, wages" is attested from 1787, American English. The psychological sense is from 1914.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to compensation

comp(n.)

"complimentary ticket," 1885, short for complimentary. Meaning "nonpaying guest" is attested by 1930s; generalized to "anything given free" by 1960s. As a verb, by 1974. Related: Comped; comping. As a shortening of compensation (especially worker's/workman's) it was in use by 1970s.

decompensation(n.)

"lack or loss of compensation," especially, in medicine, "deterioration of a structure that had worked through compensation," 1900, from de- + compensation.

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recompense
early 15c., "compensation, payment for a debt or obligation; satisfaction, amends; retribution, punishment," from Medieval Latin recompensa and Old French recompense (13c., related to recompenser "make good, recompense"), from Late Latin recompensare (see recompense (v.)). The no
reparation
late 14c., reparacioun, "repair, act of mending" (a sense now rare or obsolete), also "amends, compensation, recompense,...Reparations "compensation for war damaged owed by the aggressor" is attested from 1921, with reference to Germany, from French...
indemnity
Meaning "legal exemption" is from 1640s; sense of "compensation for loss" is from 1793. Related: Indemnitor; indemnitee....
demurrage
Also "a payment in compensation by the freighter for such a delay."...
boot
Compare Old Frisian bote "fine, penalty, penance, compensation," German Buße "penance, atonement," Gothic botha "advantage...
guerdon
Compare Old English wiðerlean "requital, compensation." Form influenced in Medieval Latin by Latin donum "gift."...
lease
late 14c., "legal contract conveying property, usually for a fixed period of time and with a fixed compensation," from Anglo-French...
correction
mid-14c., correccioun, "authority to correct;" late 14c., "action of correcting or chastising, rectification of faults (in character, conduct, etc.) by restraints or punishments," also "a bringing into conformity to a standard, model, or original," from Old French correccion (13c
rectification
c. 1400, rectificacioun, "a remedying, healing, improvement;" late 15c., "action of setting someone right in conduct or action, the correction of that which is wrong or erroneous;" from Old French rectificacion (14c.) or directly from Late Latin rectificationem (nominative rectif
emolument
mid-15c., "the profit arising from office or employment, that which is given as compensation for services," from Old French émolument "advantage, gain, benefit; income, revenue" (13c.) and directly from Latin emolumentum "profit, gain, advantage, benefit," perhaps originally "pay

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