compact
pronunciation
How to pronounce compact in British English:
UK [kəmˈpækt , ˈkɒmpækt]
How to pronounce compact in American English:
US [ˈkɑːmpækt , kəmˈpækt]
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- Noun:
- a small cosmetics case with a mirror; to be carried in a woman's purse
- a signed written agreement between two or more parties (nations) to perform some action
- a small and economical car
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- Verb:
- have the property of being packable or compactable or of compacting easily
- compress into a wad
- make more compact by or as if by pressing
- squeeze or press together
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- Adjective:
- closely and firmly united or packed together
- closely crowded together
- heavy and compact in form or stature
- briefly giving the gist of something
Word Origin
- compact
- compact: There are two distinct words compact in English; both are of Latin origin, but they come from completely different sources. The adjective, ‘compressed’ [14], comes from Latin compactus, the past participle of compingere, a compound verb formed from com- ‘together’ and pangere ‘fasten’. The noun use ‘small case for face powder’ is 20th-century and based on the notion of firmly compacted powder. Compact ‘agreement’ [16] comes from Latin compactum, a noun based on the past participle of the verb compacīscī ‘come to an agreement’. The unprefixed form pacīscī, a relative of Latin pax ‘peace’, gave English pact [15].=> pact, peace
- compact (adj.)
- late 14c., from Middle French compact (14c.) or directly from Latin compactus "concentrated," past participle of compingere "to fasten together, construct," from com- "with, together" (see com-) + pangere "to fix, fasten" (see pact). Compact car is 1960. Compact disc is from 1979.
- compact (n.1)
- "agreement," 1590s, from Latin compactum "agreement," noun use of neuter past participle of compacisci "come to agreement," from com- "together" (see com-) + pacisci "to covenant, contract" (see pact).
- compact (v.)
- early 15c., from Latin compactus, past participle of compingere "to fasten together" (see compact (adj.)). Related: Compacted; compacting.
- compact (n.2)
- "make-up case," 1921, from compact (adj.), based on its containing compacted face powder.
Example
- 1. The trend makes point-and-shoot compact cameras less appealing .
- 2. Ireland has called a referendum to ratify the fiscal compact .
- 3. Surely it can cope with the esm and fiscal compact .
- 4. Bagehot thinks that compact is intact , if fragile .
- 5. A compact point-and-shoot would 've easily fit into a pocket .