missouri compromise
noun · n
Simple meaning
An agreement in 1820 between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States about the extension of slavery into new territories.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
muhzuureekahmpruhmyzSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
məˈzʊɹikɑmpɹəmaɪz
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
An agreement in 1820 between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States concerning the extension of slavery into new territories
n
The (also known as the Compromise of 1820) federal legislation of the United States that balanced the desires of northern states to prevent the expansion of slavery in the country with those of southern states to expand it.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: An agreement in 1820 between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States concerning the extension of slavery into new territories
Used this way, missouri compromise is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It turns up most in technical or specialist writing contexts.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Technical/specialist writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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