commutation

American  

[kom-yuh-tey-shuhn] / ˌkɒm yəˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of substituting one thing for another; substitution; exchange.

2. the changing of a prison sentence or other penalty to another less severe.

3. the act of commuting, as to and from a place of work.

4. the substitution of one kind of payment for another.

5. Electricity. the act or process of commutating.

6. Also called commutation test.  Linguistics. the technique, especially in phonological analysis, of substituting one linguistic item for another while keeping the surrounding elements constant, used as a means of determining the constituent units in a sequence and their contrasts with other units.

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commutation British  

/ ˌkɒmjʊˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. a substitution or exchange

2. 1. the replacement of one method of payment by another

   2. the payment substituted

3. the reduction in severity of a penalty imposed by law

4. the process of commutating an electric current

5. the travelling done by a commuter

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Other Word Forms

• procommutation
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of commutation

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English commutacioun, from Latin commūtātiōn-, stem of commutātiō “change”; equivalent to commute + -ation

Explanation

In law, a commutation is the reduction of a punishment for a crime. After getting a commutation, an incarcerated person's original sentence of ten years in prison might be reduced to five years. A commutation is different from a pardon, which eliminates the actual conviction. With a commutation, that record of conviction stays the same, but the punishment is reduced or even eliminated. A judge might issue a commutation after someone has expressed remorse or exhibited model behavior while being incarcerated. Commutation comes from a Latin root that means "to change."

Example Sentences

Commutation only reduces the punishment for a crime, whereas a full pardon erases a conviction.

From Salon • Dec. 30, 2025

Commutation alters a prison sentence that officials consider unjust and can only be granted by Oklahoma’s governor, once someone has been recommended by the state Pardon and Parole Board.

From The Guardian • Nov. 5, 2019

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on Dec. 1, 2016.

From Washington Post • Aug. 3, 2016

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on December 1, 2016.

From Washington Post • Aug. 3, 2016

Geocentrick Latitude, 3 19 Anomaly of Commutation, 6 0 0   Inclination, or Heliocentrick Lat. of ☿ S.A.

From Benjamin Franklin Representative selections, with introduction, bibliograpy, and notes by Jorgenson, Chester E.