commutate

American

[kom-yuh-teyt] / ˈkɒm yəˌteɪt /

verb (used with object)

Electricity.

commutated, commutating

to reverse the direction of (a current or currents), as by a commutator.
to convert (alternating current) into direct current by use of a commutator.

commutate British

/ ˈkɒmjʊˌteɪt /

verb

to reverse the direction of (an electric current)
to convert (an alternating current) into a direct current

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of commutate

First recorded in 1645–55; back formation from commutation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In addition to its peculiarity of giving currents of one direction without the employment of commutating devices, such a machine differs from ordinary dynamos in that there is no reaction between armature and field.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023