commutation meaning (archaic): definition

commutation

noun

UK /kɒmjuːˈteɪʃən/

Etymology From French commutation, from Latin commūtātiōnem, accusative singular of commūtātiō.

7 senses

Archaic, Formal 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.

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, published 2006, page 213:

Law The change to a lesser penalty or punishment by the State

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, published 2007, page 23:

Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences Substitution, as a means of discriminating between phonemes.

Obsolete A passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation.

Obsolete The act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange.

noun

Etymology From commute + -ation.

US, Nonstandard The process or habit of journeying to and from work on a regular basis; commuting.

but there was no city officer to stand forth and ask for it — not even so much as to require frequent trains, low fares, and commutations on that part of the road which ran within the city limits.1879, WR Martin, “Cities as Units in Our Polity”, in The North American Review:
These permit the limited number willing to abandon their automobiles for long hikes to visit some of the most rugged terrain in Southern California. Major resort centers with substantial year-around residence (and much commutation) occur in the western Santa Monica Mountains, the San Bernardino Mountains, and around Idyllwild in the San Jacinto.1981, David W. Lantis, Rodney Steiner, Arthur E. Karinen, California, land of contrast, page 166:

2 more examples

After decades of complaint that cities are exploited by suburban commuters, the American metropolis is experiencing more and more commutation in the other direction. In some metropolitan areas, there is as much commutation out of the city as into it.1999, BW Hawkins, DM Ihrke, “Research Note: Reexamining the Suburban Exploitation Thesis in American Metropolitan Areas”, in Publius: The Journal of Federalism:
When Mary worked as an adjunct, she deliberately never calculated how much commutation and the babysitter were costing because she suspected that she was probably losing money on the deal.2004, Mary W. Quigley, Loretta E. Kaufman, Going Back To Work: A Survival Guide for Comeback Moms, page 36: