Late Middle English; earliest use found in The Wycliffite Bible (early version). From Anglo-Norman recompensacione, recompensacioun, recompensacioune, Anglo-Norman and Middle French recompensacion, recompensation, etc., compensation and its etymon post-classical Latin recompensation-, recompensatio recompense, compensation from recompensat-, past participial stem of recompensare + classical Latin -iō.