comp

UK: /kɒmp/ US: /kɑmp/ ,(komp)

Inflections of 'comp' (n): npl: comps

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

comp¹ /kɑmp/   n. [uncountable]

1. Informal Terms, Printing composition:
   taking classes in comp and speech.

comp⁵ /kɑmp/   n. [uncountable]

1. Business compensation:
   unemployment comp.

comp.,  an abbreviation of:

1. comparative.
2. compare.
3. compensation.
4. complement.
5. complete.
6. composition.
7. compositor.
8. compound.
9. comprehensive.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

comp¹  (komp), [Informal.]
n. 

1. Printing, Informal Terms a compositor.
2. Informal Terms, Printing composition.

v.t. 

3. Printing, Informal Terms to compose (type).

• shortened form 1865–70

comp²  (komp), [Informal.]
n. 

1. Informal Terms a ticket, book, service, etc., provided free of charge to specially chosen recipients.

adj. 

2. Informal Terms complimentary;
   free of charge:
   I received a comp copy of her book.

v.t. 

3. Informal Terms to provide with a comp:
   Some casinos comped the biggest spenders, providing rooms and meals on the house.
4. Informal Terms to provide free of charge:
   His meals and drinks at the hotel were often comped.

• by shortening of complimentary 1885–90

comp³  (komp), v.i. [Jazz.]

1. Music and Dance to accompany a soloist with a succession of irregularly spaced chords that punctuate the rhythm.

• shortening of accompany 1945–50, American.

comp⁴  (komp), n. Often, comps. [Informal.]

1. Education comprehensive (def. 4).

• by shortening

comp⁵  (komp), n. [Informal.]

1. Business compensation:
   workers' comp; unemployment comp.

• by shortening

comp., 

1. comparative.
2. compare.
3. compensation.
4. compilation.
5. compiled.
6. compiler.
7. complement.
8. complete.
9. composition.
10. compositor.
11. compound.
12. comprehensive.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

comp / kɒmp/ noun

1. a compositor
2. an accompaniment
3. a competition

verb

1. (intransitive) to work as a compositor in the printing industry
2. to play an accompaniment (to)