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commutative

Syllabification: (com·mu·ta·tive)
Pronunciation: /ˈkämyəˌtātiv, kəˈmyo͞otətiv/

Definition of commutative

adjective

Mathematics
  • involving the condition that a group of quantities connected by operators gives the same result whatever the order of the quantities involved, e.g., a × b = b × a.
  • rare relating to or involving substitution or exchange.

Origin:

mid 16th century (in the sense 'relating to transactions between people'): from French commutatif, -ive or medieval Latin commutativus, from commutat- 'exchanged', from the verb commutare (see commute)

commutative in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of commutative in the British & World English dictionary

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