Main Entry: re·pres·sion

Pronunciation: \ri-ˈpre-shən\

Function: noun

Date: 1533

1 a : the action or process of repressing : the state of being repressed <repression of unpopular opinions> b : an instance of repressing <racial repressions>
2 a : a mental process by which distressing thoughts, memories, or impulses that may give rise to anxiety are excluded from consciousness and left to operate in the unconscious b : an item so excluded

— re·pres·sion·ist \-sh(ə-)nist\ adjective