The action of compressing or being compressed - reducing volume, size, or quantity by pressure. In computing, reducing file sizes by encoding data more efficiently.
From Latin 'compressio' from 'comprimere' meaning 'to press together', composed of 'com-' (together) and 'premere' (to press). The word entered English in the 14th century through French.
Compression is everywhere in modern life - from the compression engines in cars to data compression that makes streaming video possible. The concept bridges physics, engineering, and information theory, showing how the same fundamental principle applies across vastly different domains.
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