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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

compromise en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (UK) audio
  • /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (New-Zealand)
  • [ˈkɔmpɹəˌmɑe̯z] (Australia)
  • /ˈkɔmpɹəˌmɑez/ (Australia)
  • /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
  • /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈkɑmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (Atlantic-Canada, General-American)
  • (California, Southern) audio
  • [ˈkɔ̟mpɹəˌmɑe̯z] (New-Zealand)

Etymology

From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (“a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration”), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (“to make a mutual promise to abide by the decision of an arbiter”), from com- (“together”) + promittere (“to promise”); see promise.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.
    • All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter. 1775, Edmund Burke, Conciliation with America:
    • That's the nature of compromises. They truly satisfy no one. 2021 June 30, Philip Haigh, “Regional trains squeezed as ECML congestion heads north”, in RAIL, number 934, page 53:
    • An abhorrence of concession and compromise is a never failing characteristic of religious factions. 1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:
    • But basely yielded upon compromise / That which his noble ancestors achieved with blows. 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
  2. (countable, uncountable) A committal to something derogatory or objectionable; a prejudicial concession; a surrender.
    • a compromise of character or right
    • I was determined not to accept any fine speeches, to the compromise of that sex the belonging to which was, after all, my strongest claim and title to them. 1823, Charles Lamb, Modern Gallantry:
  3. (countable, qualifier:computer security, uncountable) A breach of a computer or network's rules such that an unauthorized disclosure or loss of sensitive information may have occurred, or the unauthorized disclosure or loss itself.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
compromises Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

compromise effect · compromiseless · immunocompromise · procompromise

Relateds

promise

Translations (80)

hy փոխզիջում (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · tl kompromiso (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · yue 妥協 /妥协 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · sq kompromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · hi सुलह (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · pt concessão (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ja 折衷 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · de Kompromiss (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · eo kompromiso (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ja 和解 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ar حَل وَسَط (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · pt compromisso (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ky ымала (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · fi kompromissi (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · sk kompromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · sl kompromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ja 折り合い (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · nb kompromiss (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · fr compromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · tg гузашт (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · nl compromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · az kompromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · tg мусолиҳа (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · sh компро̀мис (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ar تَسْوِيَة (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · cmn 和解 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · he פְּשָׁרָה (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · pl kompromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · cmn 折衷 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · cmn 折中 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · kk мәміле (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · es transigencia (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · tr ödün (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · lv kompromiss (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · hu kiegyezés (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ru компроми́сс (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ka კომპრომისი (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ca compromís (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · tr uzlaşma (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · uz kompromiss (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · de Ausgleich (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · fr concession (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ro compromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · tg созиш (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · el συμβιβασμός (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · tr taviz (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ja 妥協 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · hi समझौता (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · da kompromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · cmn 妥協 /妥协 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · be кампрамі́с (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · fi sovitteluratkaisu (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · fa-ira مُصالِحِه (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ur سَمْجَھوتا (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · uk компромі́с (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · nn kompromiss (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · yue 折衷 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ja 歩み寄り (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ja 譲歩 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · mk компромис (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · uz murosa (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · pt meio-termo (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ky компромисс (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · sh kompròmis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · prs مُصَالَحَه (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · pt acordo (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · kk ымыра (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · it compromesso (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · ko 타협 (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · et kompromiss (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · az güzəşt (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · es convenio (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · lt kompromisas (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · id kompromi (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · es avenencia (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · hy կոմպրոմիս (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · hu kompromisszum (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · sv kompromiss (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · bg компро́мис (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions) · cs kompromis (settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions)

compromise en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (UK) audio
  • /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (New-Zealand)
  • [ˈkɔmpɹəˌmɑe̯z] (Australia)
  • /ˈkɔmpɹəˌmɑez/ (Australia)
  • /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (Canada, dialectal) of the US
  • /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈkɑmpɹəˌmaɪz/ (Atlantic-Canada, General-American)
  • (California, Southern) audio
  • [ˈkɔ̟mpɹəˌmɑe̯z] (New-Zealand)

Etymology

From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (“a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration”), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (“to make a mutual promise to abide by the decision of an arbiter”), from com- (“together”) + promittere (“to promise”); see promise.

Meanings

  1. (ambitransitive) To bind by mutual agreement.
    • Laban and himself were compromised / That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied / Should fall as Jacob's hire. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
    • In all the flutter of peace talk, a public desire to be done with war, and a readiness to compromise through mediation, was revealed. 2011, Barbara W. Tuchman, The First Salute, Random House Publishing:
  2. To adjust and settle by mutual concessions; to compound.
    • The controversy may easily be compromised. a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,] W[illiam] L[eybourne] and W[illiam] G[odbid], published 1662, →OCLC:
  3. (intransitive) To find a way between extremes.
  4. To pledge by some act or declaration; to endanger the life, reputation, etc., of, by some act which can not be recalled; to expose to suspicion.
    • to pardon all who had been compromised in the late disturbances 1856, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:
  5. (transitive) To cause impairment of.
  6. (transitive) To illegally expose.
    • He compromised dozens of United States Government classified documents […] 2001 February, Stefan A. Pluta, “United States of America v. Robert Philip Hanssen: Affidavit in Support of Criminal Complaint, Arrest Warrant and Search Warrants”, in United States District Court, archived from the original on 30 Jun 2025, page 3:
  7. (transitive) To breach (a security system).
    • They tried to compromise the security in the computer by guessing the password.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
compromised Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
compromised Tense=Past lexicographic
compromises Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
compromising Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Deriveds

compromiser · compromise to a permanent end · compromise rules · compromisable · anticompromise · compromisation · compromising

Synonyms

split the difference

Translations (44)

sv förhandla (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · tr ihlal etmek (to breach a security system) · de einen Kompromiss finden (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · bg търся компромис (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · fi murtaa (to breach a security system) · it trovare un compromesso (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · sv dagtinga (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · es comprometerse (to bind by mutual agreement) · it pattuire (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · de sich einigen (to bind by mutual agreement) · vi thoả hiệp (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · el συμβιβασμός (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · tr anlaşmak (to bind by mutual agreement) · de kompromittieren (to breach a security system) · ca consensuar (to bind by mutual agreement) · tr uzlaşmak (to bind by mutual agreement) · sv kompromissa (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · tr ara bulmak (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · de vermitteln (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · ru скомпромети́ровать (to pledge by some act or declaration; to endanger) · de eine Abmachung machen (to bind by mutual agreement) · es transar (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · cmn 折中 (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · la compromitto (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · cmn 危及 (to breach a security system) · de einen Kompromiss schließen (to bind by mutual agreement) · sv komma överens (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · ar يخترق (to breach a security system) · ru компромети́ровать (to breach a security system) · fi tehdä sopimus (to bind by mutual agreement) · ru идти́ на компроми́сс (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · az nüfuzdan salmaq (to pledge by some act or declaration; to endanger) · es transigir (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · sv kompromettera (to breach a security system) · fi tehdä kompromissi (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · it pattuire (to bind by mutual agreement) · ca cedir (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · cmn 入侵 (to breach a security system) · tr uzlaşmak (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · sv komma överens (to bind by mutual agreement) · fi sovitella (to adjust and settle by mutual concessions) · fr compromettre (to breach a security system) · bg постигам компромис (to bind by mutual agreement) · fi sopia (to bind by mutual agreement)