v. com·mut·ed, com·mut·ing, com·mutes v.intr. 1. To travel as a commuter: She commuted each day to her office downtown by subway. 2. a. To make substitution or exchange. b. To serve as a substitute. 3. To pay in gross, usually at a reduced rate, rather than in individual payments. 4. Mathematics & Logic To satisfy a commutative property. If a × b = b × a, then a commutes with b, regardless of whether the operation indicated by × is commutative. v.tr. 1. To substitute (one thing for another); exchange. 2. To change (a penalty, debt, or payment) to a less severe one. n. An act or instance of commuting, especially the trip made by a commuter: a 22-mile commute; an easy commute. [Middle English commuten, to transform, from Latin commūtāre : com-, com- + mūtāre, to change; see mei-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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