Dictionary

commutator en · NOUN

Etymology

Back-formation from commutation (in the late 19th century), as is commutate (verb) too.

Meanings

1. An electrical switch, in a generator or motor, that periodically reverses the direction of an electric current.
2. A binary map in a given group G, given by [g, h] = ghg⁻¹h⁻¹, where g and h are elements of G, which yields the group's identity if and only if the group operation commutes for g and h.
3. (qualifier:ring theory) A binary map in a given ring R, given by [a, b] = ab − ba, where a and b are elements of R, which yields the ring's zero element if and only if the multiplication operation commutes for a and b.

Forms

Deriveds

commutatorless · anticommutator · self-commutator · subcommutator · multicommutator · commutator subgroup · commutator length

Relateds

nilpotent group · solvable group

Synonyms

electrepeter · rheotrope

Translations (15)

ro colector (electrical switch) · ja 交換子 (binary function in a ring) · pt comutador (binary function in a group) · tr değişeç (binary function in a ring) · de Kommutator (binary function in a ring) · mi pūhuri hiko (electrical switch) · sv kommutator (binary function in a ring) · fi virrankäännin (electrical switch) · fi kommutaattori (electrical switch) · tr değişeç (binary function in a group) · hu kommutátor (binary function in a group) · sv kommutator (electrical switch) · ja 整流子 (electrical switch) · ro colector de comutație (electrical switch) · ja 交換子 (binary function in a group)