Commutations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of replacing one thing with a different one ; the process of changing a punishment or sentence to a less harsh one
2. Instances where one element is exchanged for another ; changing a penalty to a lighter or shorter one
3. The action of exchanging or converting something for something else ; mitigation or easing of a legal sentence or penalty

Etymology: Commutation is an inflected form, the plural of "commutation," which entered English from French and is built on the verb "commute" with the suffix "-ation." The Latin root "commūtāre" means "to change altogether" or "to exchange," combining "com-" (together) with "mūtāre" (to change), so the core idea of swapping one thing for another runs through the whole family. The plural points to the word's two main senses. Its general meaning, exchanging one thing for another, has been extended to a specific legal sense, where a heavier punishment is reduced to a lighter one. Both uses trace back to that same root meaning of substitution.

Synonyms: conversions, transformations