Definition of reparation
1a : a repairing or keeping in repairb reparations plural : repairs
2a : the act of making amends, offering expiation, or giving satisfaction for a wrong or injuryb : something done or given as amends or satisfaction
3 : the payment of damages : indemnification; specifically : compensation in money or materials payable by a defeated nation for damages to or expenditures sustained by another nation as a result of hostilities with the defeated nation —usually used in plural
From the M-W Editors
Examples of reparation in a Sentence
The country paid millions in reparations.
They've offered no apologies and seem to have no thoughts of reparation.
She says she's sorry and wants to make reparations.
Recent Examples of reparation from the Web
-
The peace accords of 1947 meant ceding about a 10th of its land to the east and paying onerous war reparations by delivering costly industrial goods to its neighbor in the east.
-
Lowry didn’t shy away from people who showed up at some of those meetings peeved at his some of his stances, such as his early support for reparations for Japanese Americans who had been interned during World War II.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reparation'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of reparation
Middle English reparacion, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin reparation-, reparatio, from Latin reparare
REPARATION Defined for English Language Learners
reparation
playDefinition of reparation for English Language Learners
-
reparations : money that a country or group that loses a war pays because of the damage, injury, deaths, etc., it has caused
-
: something that is done or given as a way of correcting a mistake that you have made or a bad situation that you have caused
REPARATION Defined for Kids
reparation
playDefinition of reparation for Students
1 : the act of making up for a wrong
2 : something paid by a country losing a war to the winner to make up for damages done in the war
Law Dictionary
reparation
playLegal Definition of reparation
1a : the act of making amends, offering expiation, or giving satisfaction for a wrong or injury b : something done or given as amends or satisfaction
2 : the payment of damages; specifically : compensation in money or materials payable by a defeated nation for damages to or expenditures sustained by another nation as a result of hostilities with the defeated nation —usually used in plural
Learn More about reparation
-
See words that rhyme with reparation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for reparation Spanish Central: Translation of reparation Nglish: Translation of reparation for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of reparation for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up reparation? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!