Commutative

Origin

commuter + -ative ("tending to substitute or switch"), from from French commuter ("to substitute or switch") and the suffix -ative ("tending to")

Full definition of commutative

Adjective

1. (mathematics, of a binary operation) Such that the order in which the operands are taken does not affect their image under the operation.''Addition on the real numbers is commutative because for any real numbers $s,t$, it is true that $s+t=t+s$.
2. (algebra, of an algebraic structure) Having a commutative operation.
3. (mathematics, of a diagram of morphisms) Such that any two sequences of morphisms with the same initial and final positions compose to the same morphism.

Synonyms

• (of an algebraic structure) abelian, Abelian

Related terms

• anticommutative
• commutator
• commute
• commutative justice
• commutative ring