Standard Lemma guide

compressor

noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /kəmˈpɹɛ.sə(ɹ)/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛsə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 M P R EH1 S ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A device that produces pressure, such as a gas compressor that produces pressurized gas.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A device that squeezes (compresses).

An instrument for compressing an artery (especially the femoral artery) or other part.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A device that squeezes (compresses).

An apparatus for confining or flattening between glass plates an object to be examined with the microscope; a compressorium.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A device that squeezes (compresses).

A machine for compressing gases, especially an air compressor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A device that reduces the dynamic range of an audio signal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: sound engineering

Topics: audio, electrical-engineering, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A muscle that compresses certain parts.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A program or algorithm for compressing data.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

a mechanical device that compresses gasses

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mechanical device

Narrower terms: air compressor, supercharger

History

Etymology

From compress + -or, or from New Latin compressor.

Across languages

Translations

35 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: компре́сор (komprésor) — device that produces pressure
  • Catalan: compressor — device that produces pressure
  • Czech: kompresor — device that produces pressure
  • Finnish: kompressori — device that produces pressure
  • Finnish: puristin — device that produces pressure
  • French: compresseur — device that produces pressure
  • German: Kompressor — device that produces pressure
  • Greek: αεροσυμπιεστής (aerosympiestís) — device that produces pressure
  • Italian: compressore — device that produces pressure
  • Japanese: 圧縮機 (asshuku ki) — device that produces pressure
  • Japanese: コンプレッサー (kompuressā) — device that produces pressure
  • Kazakh: сығымдағыш (syğymdağyş) — device that produces pressure
  • Māori: papu whakawhāiti — device that produces pressure
  • Māori: pamu whakawhāiti — device that produces pressure
  • Norwegian: kompressor — device that produces pressure
  • Polish: sprężarka — device that produces pressure
  • Polish: kompresor — device that produces pressure
  • Portuguese: compressor — device that produces pressure
  • Romanian: compresor — device that produces pressure
  • Russian: компре́ссор (kompréssor) — device that produces pressure
  • Spanish: compresor — device that produces pressure
  • Finnish: puristin — device that squeezes
  • Hebrew: מדחס (mad'khes) — device that squeezes
  • Japanese: 圧縮機 (asshuku ki) — device that squeezes
  • Japanese: 圧搾機 (assakuki) — device that squeezes
  • Kazakh: сығымдағыш (syğymdağyş) — device that squeezes
  • Norwegian: presse — device that squeezes
  • Finnish: kompressori — device that reduces the range of an audio signal
  • French: compresseur — device that reduces the range of an audio signal
  • Japanese: コンプレッサー (kompuressā) — device that reduces the range of an audio signal
  • Spanish: compresor — device that reduces the range of an audio signal
  • Swedish: kompressor — device that reduces the range of an audio signal
  • Finnish: pakkausohjelma (program) — computing: program or algorithm for compressing data
  • Finnish: pakkausalgoritmi — computing: program or algorithm for compressing data
  • Spanish: compresor — computing: program or algorithm for compressing data
Real reading context

compressor in complete knowledge articles

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