1. a device in an electric motor or generator that reverses the direction of current flow
Usage: electrical engineering
2. a mathematical operation that measures how much two operations fail to commute
Usage: mathematics

Examples

• The commutator in the DC motor was worn and needed replacement.
• Carbon brushes make contact with the commutator to conduct electricity.
• The technician cleaned the commutator segments to improve performance.
• In algebra, the commutator of two matrices is calculated as AB – BA.
• The commutator helps reverse the current direction in each half-turn of the motor.
• Students learned about commutators in their electrical engineering course.