commutation
English
Etymology
From French commutation, from Latin commūtātiōnem, accusative singular of commūtātiō.
Pronunciation
Noun
commutation (plural commutations)
- (obsolete) A passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation.
- (obsolete) The act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange.
- (formal or archaic) Substitution of one thing for another; interchange.
- Specifically, the substitution of one kind of payment for another, especially a switch to monetary payment from obligations of labour.
- 1969, Philip Ziegler, The Black Death, Folio Society 2006, p. 213:
- Professor Postan has argued in favour of a rapid move towards commutation in the twelfth century which slackened or even went into reverse in the course of the thirteenth.
- 1969, Philip Ziegler, The Black Death, Folio Society 2006, p. 213:
- (law) The change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
- 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial 2007, p. 23:
- Monsieur the Marquis de Sade [was] now holed up in one of his châteaux while his wife worked for the commutation of a sentence passed on him recently for poisoning and buggery.
- 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial 2007, p. 23:
- (linguistics) Substitution, as a means of discriminating between phonemes.
- (electronics) The reversal of an electric current.
Translations
A passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation
The change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State
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The act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange
The reversal of an electric current
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