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Commute

kuh-MYOOT /kəˈmjuːt/

verbnounB1TOEFLIELTSGMAT

General

To travel regularly over some distance between one's home and place of work or study.

Emphasizes routine, daily, repetitive travel for work/school rather than leisure travel.

The story behind the word. Originally a legal term meaning 'to change or substitute' (as in commuting a legal sentence). In 19th-century American railways, passengers could buy 'commutation tickets' (discounted multi-ride tickets exchanging money for lower fare), leading riders to be called commuters.

Word relationships

transit: Transit is a broad category covering all public transportation movement, whereas commute specifies routine home-to-work travel.
travel: Travel covers all journeys anywhere, while commute strictly denotes repetitive work or school trips.

telecommute: Telecommute means working remotely from home using internet tools, eliminating physical daily travel.

Commonly confused with

tour: A tour is a recreational journey visiting multiple sites, whereas a commute is a functional daily travel route.

Word family

commuter (noun): A person who travels regularly to work or school.
commutation (noun): The act of commuting or reducing a legal sentence.

Collocations

daily commute
commute time
morning commute
commute to work

Example sentences

"Her daily commute takes nearly forty minutes each way due to heavy highway congestion." Urban policy report
"Many workers prefer taking the train rather than commuting by car through downtown traffic." Workplace journal

Memory hook

COMMUTE = COmmon MUtual Travel Every day. Daily journey to work.

When not to use

Do not use for a one-off vacation or random road trip.

Fun facts

The world's longest average daily commute is recorded in megacities like Mexico City and Istanbul, where drivers spend over two hours per day in transit.