Compactions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of compressing materials to achieve a denser arrangement emphasizes minimizing space and increasing stability in structures
2. The process of pressing or squeezing materials so they become more tightly packed and occupy less volume
3. The action of reducing the space between particles or components in a substance by applying force

Etymology: "Compactions" is the plural of "compaction", which comes from the Latin verb "compingere", meaning "to fasten together" or "to join". The Latin root combines "com-", meaning "together", with "pangere", "to fasten" or "to fix", so the underlying idea is of things pressed or joined into a single firm mass. The Latin noun "compactio" carried this sense of a joining or putting together. The word reached English by way of Old French "compaction", which kept the same sense of a fitting or joining. Its modern meaning, the squeezing of loose material so that the spaces between its particles shrink, follows from that original image of parts being fastened tightly together.