Serving to make up for something lacking or lost; able to provide balance or replacement.
From Latin 'compensatus' (past participle of 'compensare'), combining 'com-' (together) and 'pensare' (to weigh). The suffix '-ative' indicates capability or tendency. The word evolved to describe things that counterbalance or restore equilibrium.
Your brain is actually compensative—when you lose one sense, other senses often become sharper. This is called sensory compensation, and it's why blind people often have incredible hearing!
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