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Noun: compensation  ,kóm-pun'sey-shun or ,kóm,pen'sey-shun
  1. Something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury)
    "The accident victim sought compensation for medical expenses"
     
  2. The act of compensating for service, loss or injury
    "Workers demanded fair compensation for their overtime hours";
    - recompense
     
  3. (psychiatry) a defence mechanism that conceals your undesirable shortcomings by exaggerating desirable behaviors
    "His constant boasting about his achievements was a form of compensation for his insecurities"

Derived forms: compensations

Type of: correction, defence [Brit, Cdn], defence mechanism [Brit, Cdn], defence reaction [Brit, Cdn], defense [US], defense mechanism [US], defense reaction [US], recompense, rectification

Encyclopedia: Compensation