com‧pen‧sa‧to‧ry AC /ˌkɒmpənˈseɪtəri◂ $ kəmˈpen-səˌtɔːri/ adjective [usually before noun] formal
[Word Family: verb: compensate; noun: compensation; adjective: compensatory]

1. compensatory payments are paid to someone who has been harmed or hurt in some way:
She was awarded a large sum in compensatory damages.

2. intended to reduce the bad effects of something:
Workers are given a compensatory day off when a national holiday falls on a weekend.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲