To squeeze or press together to make smaller or more compact; as a noun, a soft pad applied with pressure to part of the body.
From Latin 'compressus', past participle of 'comprimere' (com- 'together' + premere 'to press'). Medical meaning developed from the idea of pressing something against the body.
The dual meaning of compress perfectly illustrates how one action can serve opposite purposes - we compress files to save space and compress wounds to promote healing. Both involve applying pressure, but one removes something while the other adds beneficial pressure.
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