commute

[ kuh-myoot ]

verb (used with object)

, com·mut·ed, com·mut·ing.

1. to change (a prison sentence or other penalty) to a less severe one:

   The death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

2. to exchange for another or for something else; give and take reciprocally; interchange.
3. to change:

   to commute base metal into gold.

4. to change (one kind of payment) into or for another, as by substitution.

verb (used without object)

, com·mut·ed, com·mut·ing.

1. to travel regularly over some distance, as from a suburb into a city and back:

   He commutes to work by train.

2. to make substitution.
3. to serve as a substitute.
4. to make a collective payment, especially of a reduced amount, as an equivalent for a number of payments.
5. Mathematics. to give the same result whether operating on the left or on the right.

noun

1. a trip made by commuting:

   It's a long commute from his home to his office.

2. an act or instance of commuting.

commute

/ kəˈmjuːt /

verb

1. intr to travel some distance regularly between one's home and one's place of work
2. tr to substitute; exchange
3. tr law to reduce (a sentence) to one less severe
4. to pay (an annuity) at one time, esp with a discount, instead of in instalments
5. tr to transform; change

   to commute base metal into gold

6. intr to act as or be a substitute
7. intr to make a substitution; change

noun

1. a journey made by commuting

commute

/ kə-myo̅o̅t′ /

1. To yield the same result regardless of order. For example, numbers commute under addition, which is a commutative operation. Generally, any two operators H and G commute if their commutator is zero, i.e. HG − GH = 0.

Derived Forms

• comˈmutable, adjective
• comˌmutaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• uncom·muted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of commute¹

First recorded in 1400–50, and in 1885–90 commute fordef 5; late Middle English, from Latin commūtāre “to change, replace, exchange,” equivalent to com- “with, together” ( com- ) + mūtāre “to change”

Word History and Origins

Origin of commute¹

C17: from Latin commutāre to replace, from com- mutually + mutāre to change

Example Sentences

Garcia focused heavily on California’s high cost of living and gasoline — a potent message in a commuter district where many residents who are drawn by cheaper housing but commute two hours or more to work in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times

State law does not allow Newsom to pardon or commute the sentences of someone with more than one felony conviction without the high court’s approval.

From Los Angeles Times

“How bad could the commute be?” we naively thought.

From Los Angeles Times

Then I would head home and, on the last leg of my commute, enter a different world.

From Los Angeles Times

In previous elections, Garcia’s focus on California’s high cost of living and gasoline was effective in the commuter district, where many residents drawn by cheaper housing commute two hours or more to work in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• shorten