compage

English

Etymology

From Latin compages, from com- + root of pangere ‘to fasten’.

Noun

compage (plural compages)

1. (obsolete) Compages; consistency, solid structure; the compaction of parts into a whole.
   • 1658: Common Tombs preserve not beyond powder: A firmer consistence and compage of parts might be expected from Arefaction, deep buriall or charcoal. — Sir Thomas Browne, Urne-Burial (Penguin 2005, p. 31)
2. (obsolete) A compages; a unified complex whole formed from the compaction of parts.
   • 1886 November, W[illiam] H[enry] James Weale, “Liturgical Books. (Without Musical Notation.)”, in Historical Music Loan Exhibition, Albert Hall, London. June–October, 1885: A Descriptive Catalogue of Rare Manuscripts & Printed Books, Chiefly Liturgical, […], London: Bernard Quaritch, […], →OCLC, footnote 3, page 31:

     The first note of the evovae—the prevailing or reciting note of the chant—and the final note of the antiphon give the tone of the chant. This word, or rather this compages of letters, has, of course, no connexion whatever with the Bacchic shout of Io or Evoe. I should not allude here to this silly story were it not that on several occasions I have heard it repeated by persons who noticed the presence of the evovae in one or other of the books exhibited, and who evidently believed in its truth.

Italian

Etymology

From Latin compages.

Noun

compage f (plural compagi)

1. (literary) Synonym of compagine; whole, group
2. (literary, archaic) density
   • 1308 ~ 1320, Dante Alighieri, “Paradiso. Canto XIII”, in Divina Commedia:

     [Q]uindici stelle che 'n diverse plage / lo ciel avvivan di tanto sereno / che soperchia de l'aere ogne compage

     [F]ifteen stars which in different places enlight the sky with so much sereneness to exceed every [amount of] density of the air

Further reading

• compage in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Latin

Noun

compāge

1. ablative singular of compāgēs