commute
kuh-MYOOT
/kəˈmjuːt/
To travel regularly between one's home and place of work or study; or the journey itself.
Implies a regular, recurring trip over a distance, usually occurring daily.
The story behind the word. Originally from Latin 'mutare' (to change), 'commute' entered American railway vocabulary in the 19th century. Railway companies offered 'commuted' (reduced) train fares for frequent travelers, leading to the term 'commuter train' and eventually the verb for the travel itself.
Word relationships
- travel: 'Travel' is general, while 'commute' specifically refers to routine home-to-work travel.
- stay: 'Stay' implies remaining in one position without traveling.
Commonly confused with
- trip: A trip can be for any purpose; a commute is specifically a regular work or school journey.
Word family
- commuter (noun): A person who travels regularly to and from work.
Collocations
- daily commute
- long commute
- commute to work
- morning commute
Example sentences
- "She spends forty minutes on the train every morning to commute to work." Daily workplace routine
- "His daily commute became much shorter when he moved closer to the city center." Describing journey duration
Memory hook
Think of a COMPUTER on your lap while traveling to work on a train. Change your location daily to earn your income.
When not to use
Do not use for one-off vacation trips or weekend leisure outings.
Fun facts
- The word originally meant to exchange or reduce a financial payment before applying to daily travel.
Also appears in
- Law → Prisons & Rehabilitation
- Law → Clemency, Pardons & Parole
- Travel & Culture → Modes of Transportation
- Travel & Culture → Urban Spaces & Cities
- Demographics & Urban Studies → Suburbanization & Sprawl
- Demographics & Urban Studies → Commuter Culture & Transit
- Everyday Transportation & Driving → Bicycles & Micromobility
- Everyday Transportation & Driving → Ridesharing & Taxis
- Everyday Travel & Vacations → Road Trips
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