An agreement or settlement in which both sides give up something to reach a middle ground; a mutual concession.
From Old French 'compromis,' derived from Latin 'compromissus,' the past participle of 'compromittere' (com- + promittere, to promise). Originally a legal term for mutual agreement to submit disputes to arbitration.
The French spelling 'compromis' reveals the word's origins—it traveled from Latin through French into English, and many European languages kept variations of this form. This single word shows how medieval trade and law created a shared vocabulary across Europe!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.