A transformation in which a figure grows smaller. Compressions
may be with respect to a point (compression of a geometric
figure) or with respect to the axis of a graph (compression of a
graph). Note: Some high school textbooks erroneously use the
word dilation to refer to all transformations in which the
figure changes size, whether the figure becomes larger or
smaller. Compression (or contraction) refers to transformations
in which the figure becomes smaller. Dilation properly refers
only to transformations in which the figure Unfortunately the
English language has no word that refers collectively of a
geometric figure, dilation of a graph