Designed or intended to make up for a loss, deficiency, or injury; providing balance or restoration.
From Latin 'compensatorius,' combining 'compensare' (to balance together) with the suffix '-ory' (relating to or serving). The term became prominent in law and psychology by the 1800s.
Courts award 'compensatory damages' to repair harm—but your body does the same thing! When you sprain an ankle, compensatory mechanisms kick in to protect it while it heals, though sometimes this causes other problems.
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