COMMUTATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does commutate mean? 

• COMMUTATE (verb)
  The verb COMMUTATE has 1 sense:

1. reverse the direction of (an alternating electric current) each half cycle so as to produce a unidirectional current

  Familiarity information: COMMUTATE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMMUTATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they commutate    ... he / she / it commutates   
Past simple: commutated   
Past participle: commutated   
-ing form: commutating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reverse the direction of (an alternating electric current) each half cycle so as to produce a unidirectional current

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "commutate" is one way to...):

change by reversal; reverse; turn (change to the contrary)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

commutative ((of a binary operation) independent of order; as in e.g.)

commutator (switch for reversing the direction of an electric current)