Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - compensation

 noun  Date: 14th century  1.  a. the act of compensating ; the state of being compensated  b. correction of an organic defect or loss by hypertrophy or by increased functioning of another organ or unimpaired parts of the same organ  c. a psychological mechanism by which feelings of inferiority, frustration, or failure in one field are counterbalanced by achievement in another  2.  a.  (1) something that constitutes an equivalent or recompense age has its ~s  (2) payment to unemployed or injured workers or their dependents  b. payment, remuneration working without ~  • ~al adjective