WordGarden.iocommittal
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /kəmˈɪtəl/
US
- /kəˈmɪtəl/
Meanings
Noun
a formal legal act or order sending someone to custody, hospital, or trial
a funeral act or service committing a body to burial or cremation
the act of committing oneself to a position or course of action
Adjective
expressing a definite opinion, choice, or commitment
Beyond the definition
While it sounds like "commitment," a committal isn't just a feeling of dedication; it's a formal act of handing someone or something over to a specific place or situation. It's a word with real weight, often used in legal or funeral settings. You might hear of a judge signing a "committal order" to send someone to prison or a psychiatric hospital. It also describes the last part of a funeral—the "committal service"—where the body is laid to rest. In a different, quieter sense, it can also mean putting something into your memory on purpose.
The word "committal" refers to the formal act of consigning someone or something to a specific place, state, or condition. Although it shares a root with "commitment," "committal" is distinct because it focuses on the procedural action of "committing" rather than the emotional state of being dedicated.
In legal contexts, "committal" is a technical term of great importance. A committal hearing is a preliminary court proceeding used in various jurisdictions to determine if there is enough evidence to "commit" a defendant to trial in a higher court. Similarly, a committal order serves as the official warrant that sends an individual into custody or a specialized institution.
Beyond the courtroom, the word carries a deep emotional resonance in the context of final rites. A committal service is the concluding portion of a funeral, representing the moment a person is "committed" to the ground or to the flames of cremation. This usage highlights the word's theme of transition and finality.
Furthermore, "committal" describes the mental act of entrusting information to one's mind, specifically in the phrase "committal to memory." This implies a deliberate, structured effort to learn something by heart.
Less commonly, "committal" can also be used as an adjective meaning "binding" or "committing": a committal statement is one that clearly takes a position or makes a promise, leaving you less room to back out (the opposite of a noncommittal answer).
In older or more formal writing, "committal" can also refer to the committing of an offense, or to suicide. In every application, "committal" suggests a decisive, formal, and often hard-to-reverse transition from one state to another.
Examples
- 1
Legal detention
The judge ordered his committal to prison until the trial.
- 2
Court review
Her lawyer argued that the committal order should be reviewed.
- 3
Funeral service
Only close relatives attended the service of committal at the cemetery.
- Phraseservice of committal
the part of a funeral when the body is buried or cremated
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- order of committal
Word family
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Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- committalnoun
Forms
- committalspluralnoun