comp
comp Lexical Profile
comp Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A complimentary ticket, meal, drink, or other item given free of charge, especially by a casino, hotel, restaurant, or theater (informal).
"The restaurant manager offered us a comp for dessert after our main course was delayed."
Compensation, especially workers' compensation paid to an employee injured on the job, or a comparable property used to determine real estate market value (informal).
"The real estate agent pulled three recent comps from the neighborhood to help price our house accurately."
A competition or contest (informal).
"She has been training all winter for the regional surfing comp next month."
American A comprehensive examination required of university students in their major field of study, or a course in English composition (usually in plural for examinations; informal).
"Every graduate student in the department must pass written and oral comps before defending a dissertation."
British A comprehensive school that provides secondary education for students of all abilities from a given district (informal).
"Both of their children attended the local comp before going on to study at university."
• verb
To provide a customer or guest with goods, services, or admission free of charge (informal).
"The hotel manager comped our room for the second night to apologize for the broken air conditioner."
To play chords, rhythms, or countermelodies as an improvised accompaniment in jazz or popular music.
"The pianist comped lightly behind the saxophone soloist during the second chorus."
• adjective
Provided free of charge as a courtesy; complimentary (informal).
"The band received four comp tickets to distribute to their families before the concert."
• Rhymes for comp
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the 19th and 20th centuries through independent colloquial clippings of several longer English words, most notably 'complimentary', 'competition', 'compensation', 'comprehensive', and 'accompany'.