compression

UK/kəmˈpɹɛʃ.ən/US/kəmˈpɹɛʃ.ən/

nounB2+Common in everyday speech and writing · #7,585 of 15,258leans written

Other forms: compressions

Compression is the squeezing of something into a smaller space. File compression, chest compression, compression stroke.

In a file it works by finding repetition, which is why text squeezes to a fraction and a photograph barely moves. Lossy compression throws information away for the sake of size, and lossless keeps every bit. Chest compression is the pressing done in resuscitation.

Definitions of compression

1nouncompressionThe squeezing of something into a smaller space.B2+
“The compression of the spring stores energy that is released when you let go.”

compression is a squeezing.

Where it comes from

Latin compressio comes from comprimere, to press together — com plus premere, to press.

Latin
compressiō
Middle French
compression
English, today
compression

Middle French compression, from Latin compressiō, equivalent to compress + -ion.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

compression in the wild

The compression ratio is the ratio between the maximum and minimum volume during the compression stage of the power cycle in a piston or Wankel engine.
Compression ratio
The dynamic compression ratio is a more advanced calculation which also takes into account gases entering and exiting the cylinder during the compression phase.
Compression ratio
In information theory, data compression, source coding, or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation.
Data compression
Lossless compression reduces bits by identifying and eliminating statistical redundancy.
Data compression
JPEG compression is used in a number of image file formats.
JPEG

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

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