Standard Lemma guide

commutation

noun · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /kɒmjuːˈteɪʃən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K AA2 M Y AH0 T EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Substitution of one thing for another; interchange.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, countable, formal, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Specifically, the substitution of one kind of payment for another, especially a switch to monetary payment from obligations of labour.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Substitution, as a means of discriminating between phonemes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The reversal of an electric current.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

The process or habit of journeying to and from work on a regular basis; commuting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, countable, nonstandard, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

the act of putting one thing or person in the place of another:

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he sent Smith in for Jones but the substitution came too late to help

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: substitution, exchange

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

Narrower terms: replacement, replacing, subrogation, weaning, ablactation

10

noun

Meaning 10

the travel of a commuter

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: commuting

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: travel, traveling, travelling

11

noun

Meaning 11

(law) the reduction in severity of a punishment imposed by law

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: re-sentencing

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: clemency, mercifulness, mercy

12

noun

Meaning 12

a warrant substituting a lesser punishment for a greater one

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: warrant

History

Etymology

From French commutation, from Latin commūtātiōnem, accusative singular of commūtātiō.

Etymology tree ▲ English commutation English ticket English commutation ticket English commute Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English commutation From commute + -ation.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: смя́на (smjána) — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Bulgarian: размя́на (razmjána) — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Catalan: commutació — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Indonesian: pergantian — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Indonesian: komutasi — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Russian: измене́ние (izmenénije) — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Russian: сме́на (sména) — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Russian: замеще́ние (zameščénije) — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Spanish: conmutación — a passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
  • Bulgarian: смекча́ване на наказа́ние (smekčávane na nakazánie) — the change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
  • Chinese Mandarin: 減刑 /减刑 (jiǎnxíng) — the change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
  • Dutch: strafvermindering — the change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
  • Finnish: lievennys — the change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
  • Russian: измене́ние ме́ры пресече́ния (izmenénije méry presečénija) — the change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
  • Russian: смягче́ние наказа́ния (smjaxčénije nakazánija) — the change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
  • Spanish: conmutación penal — the change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
  • Spanish: indulto — the change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
  • Bulgarian: замя́на (zamjána) — the act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange
  • Bulgarian: размя́на (razmjána) — the act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange
  • Finnish: vaihtaminen — the act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange
  • Russian: заме́на (zaména) — the act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange
  • Russian: ба́ртер (bártɛr) — the act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange
  • Russian: разме́н (razmén) — the act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange
  • Bulgarian: превклю́чване (prevkljúčvane) — the reversal of an electric current
  • Bulgarian: комута́ция (komutácija) — the reversal of an electric current
  • Catalan: commutació — the reversal of an electric current
  • Finnish: kommutointi — the reversal of an electric current
  • Portuguese: comutação — the reversal of an electric current
  • Russian: коммута́ция (kommutácija) — the reversal of an electric current
  • Spanish: conmutación — the reversal of an electric current