Final answer:
An image is overly compressed when it has been shrunk to a much smaller file size through a process that removes a significant amount of color information, resulting in reduced image quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an image is said to be overly compressed, it means that the file has undergone a high level of compression, which significantly reduces its file size. Compression works by analyzing the image data, particularly the colors of pixels close to each other, and discarding the ones deemed unnecessary. A higher compression level means that more color information is removed, resulting in a file that's smaller in size.
While compressing an image can be useful for saving storage space or speeding up its loading time on websites, there is a trade-off in terms of image quality. Highly compressed images often lose a lot of their original detail and can appear blurry, pixelated, or otherwise degraded. Cameras and image editing software might provide different options for levels of compression, often described in terms such as large, medium, or small file sizes or high, medium, or low quality. A setting of 100% quality typically means no compression, whereas lower percentages indicate greater compression and a reduction in quality.