Commutation

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /kÉ’mjuːˈteɪʃən/

Origin

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

Full definition of commutation

Noun

1. (obsolete) A passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation.
2. (obsolete) The act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange.
3. (formal or archaic) Substitution of one thing for another; interchange.
4. Specifically, the substitution of one kind of payment for another, especially a switch to monetary payment from obligations of labour.
• 1969, Philip Ziegler, The Black Death, Folio Society 2006, p. 213:Professor Postan has argued in favour of a rapid move towards commutation in the twelfth century which slackened or even went into reverse in the course of the thirteenth.
5. (legal) The change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
• 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial 2007, p. 23:Monsieur the Marquis de Sade was now holed up in one of his châteaux while his wife worked for the commutation of a sentence passed on him recently for poisoning and buggery.
6. (linguistics) Substitution, as a means of discriminating between phonemes.
7. (electronics) The reversal of an electric current.