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.
"lack or loss of compensation," especially, in medicine, "deterioration of a structure that had worked through compensation," 1900, from de- + compensation.
also over-compensation, 1917 in the psychological sense, translating German überkompensation, from over- + compensation. A term used by Alfred Alder to denote exaggerated striving for power in those who have an inner sense of inferiority.
"lose the ability to maintain compensation," 1912, probably a back-formation from decompensation. Related: Decompensated; decompensating.
late 14c., reparacioun, "repair, act of mending" (a sense now rare or obsolete), also "amends, compensation, recompense, satisfaction for injury, what is done to repair a wrong," from Old French reparacion and directly from Late Latin reparationem (nominative reparatio) "act of repairing, restoration," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin reparare "restore, repair" (see repair (v.1)).
Reparations "compensation for war damaged owed by the aggressor" is attested from 1921, with reference to Germany, from French réparations (1919).
late 14c., redresse, "reparation, compensation for injustice, injury, loss, etc., adjustment," late 14c., from Anglo-French redresce, Old French redrece, redresse, fromredrecier, redresier (see redress (v.)).
