| Date: | 1400-1500 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Origin: | commutare 'to exchange, change', from com- ( COM-) + mutare 'to change' |
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com‧mute1

1 [intransitive] to regularly travel a long distance to get to work
2SCL to change the punishment given to a criminal to one that is less severe :
Baldry's 20-year prison sentence was commuted to three years.
commute a sentence (to something)
technical
Baldry's 20-year prison sentence was commuted to three years.3 to exchange one thing, especially one kind of payment, for another :
He commuted his pension for a lump sum.
commute something for/into something
technical
He commuted his pension for a lump sum.