mūtātĭo, ōnis, f. [1. muto].
I A changing, altering, a change, alteration, mutation (freq. and class.; cf. vicissitudo): consilii mutatio optimus est portus paenitenti, Cic. Phil. 12, 2, 7: mutationem facere, to change , id. Off. 1, 33, 120: rerum, a change in the affairs of state, a revolution , id. Att. 8, 3, 4; cf. id. Rep. 1, 41, 64: sed hujus regiae prima et certissima est illa mutatio (immediately before, commutationes rerum publicarum), id. ib. 1, 42, 65: rei mutatione amittitur ususfructus, si, etc., Paul. Sent. 3, 6, 31.—
II An exchanging, exchange .
A In gen.: vestis, Ter. Eun. 671: officiorum, interchange, mutual exercise , Cic. Off. 1, 7, 22; cf. ementium, traffic by exchange , Tac. Agr. 28.—
B In partic., in posting, a changing or change of horses , Amm. 21, 9, 4; cf. Cod. Th. 8, 5, 53.—
C Rhet. term, = ὑπαλλαγή, interchange of expressions , Quint. 9, 3, 92.