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com·pact 1 (kəm-păkt, kŏm-, kŏmpăkt)
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adj.
1. Closely and firmly united or packed together; dense: compact clusters of flowers.
2. Occupying little space compared with others of its type: a compact camera; a compact car.
3. Brief and to the point; concise: a compact narration.
4. Marked by or having a short solid physique: a wrestler of compact build.
v. (kəm-păkt) com·pact·ed, com·pact·ing, com·pacts
v.tr.
1. To press or join firmly together: a kitchen device that compacted the trash.
2.
a. To make by pressing or joining together; compose.
b. To consolidate; combine.
v.intr.
To be capable of being pressed tightly together or to become so pressed: garbage that compacts easily.
n. (kŏmpăkt)
1. A small case containing a mirror, pressed powder, and a powder puff.
2. An automobile that is bigger in size than a subcompact but smaller than a midsize car.

[Middle English, from Latin compāctus, past participle of compingere, to put together : com-, com- + pangere, to fasten; see pag- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

com·pactly adv.
com·pactness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
com·pact 2 (kŏmpăkt)
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n.
An agreement or a covenant. See Synonyms at agreement.

[Latin compactum, neuter past participle of compacīscī, to make an agreement : com-, com- + pacīscī, to agree; see PACT.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.