commute

[kuh-myoot]

verb (used with object)

commuted, commuting 

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)

commuted, commuting 

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

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.

Other Word Forms

• uncommuted adjective
• commutable adjective
• commutability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of commute¹

First recorded in 1400–50, and in 1885–90 commute for def. 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

An easy commute to Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill is part of what makes Cary, N.C., such a desirable place to live and people are taking notice.

Read more on MarketWatch

He commutes two hours or more each day and often hustles on the floor from the store’s 8:30 a.m. opening to its 9 p.m. close.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Several team members have very long commutes, and this makes a big difference to them.

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Meanwhile, some staff now face an extra hour added to their daily commute, which is a "major inconvenience".

Read more on BBC

The difficult commute to Los Angeles limited how often he saw her, and that was particularly difficult because their son was less than a year old.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• shorten