“Commit” is the correct spelling. “Comit” is a misspelling and does not exist as a standard English word.
If you’ve been second-guessing yourself between these two, you’re not alone — the single vs. double consonant pattern in English is one of the most common sources of spelling confusion.
Why “Comit” Looks Plausible
English has plenty of words that follow a single-consonant pattern: vomit, limit, visit, habit. These words end in one consonant, so it feels natural to write comit by analogy.
The difference with commit is that it comes from the Latin committere, built from com- (together) + mittere (to send or put). The root mitt- carries two t’s, and that double-t stayed in English when the word arrived through Old French and Latin influence.
So while vomit and limit have Latin roots that don’t double the final consonant, commit does — because its root is genuinely mitt, not mit.
This isn’t a rule you need to memorize in its full Latin form. The practical fix is simpler: just remember that commit always has two m’s and two t’s.
What “Commit” Means
Commit is a verb. It covers several related ideas:
1. To dedicate yourself to something
She decided to commit to the training program.
2. To do something, especially something wrong
He committed a serious error in judgment.
3. To officially record or hand something over
The details were committed to writing.
4. To place someone in the care of an institution
The court committed him to a treatment facility.
The common thread is a sense of sending or binding — which traces back directly to that Latin root mittere.
Commit or Comit Related Forms — and Where the Double-T Matters Most
This is where the spelling gets trickier for many writers, because the double-t rule plays out differently depending on the form.
| Form | Correct Spelling |
| Base verb | commit |
| Past tense | committed |
| Present participle | committing |
| Noun (the act) | commitment |
| Person who commits | committee (a group) |
| Adjective | committed |
Committed and committing double the t again before a suffix — because the stress falls on the second syllable (com-MIT), which triggers consonant doubling in English when you add -ed or -ing.
Compare this to visit (stress on the first syllable: VI-sit), which gives you visited and visiting with no doubling.
So: commit → committed → committing, never commited or commiting.
Commitment, on the other hand, does not double the t before -ment. The correct form is commitment, not committment. This is one of the most commonly misspelled versions of this word family.
Quick Spelling Check
If you’re unsure, try this: say the word out loud. The stress falls on the second syllable — com-MIT. That hard emphasis on the ending is a signal that the consonant doubles in written form.
Or simply remember: two m’s, two t’s — and commitment is the exception where the second pair of t’s doesn’t appear.
Common Mistakes at a Glance about Commit or Comit
| Misspelling | Correct Form | Note |
| comit | commit | Missing one m and one t |
| commited | committed | Missing the doubled t before -ed |
| commiting | committing | Missing the doubled t before -ing |
| committment | commitment | Extra t before -ment |
Stick with commit, and you’ll have the rest of the word family within reach. The double letters aren’t arbitrary — they reflect the word’s Latin roots and English stress patterns, both of which point in the same direction.
Read more posts:
Tacet or Tacit: Two Different Words, Not Two Spellings
Dysregulated vs Disregulated: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Rapport or Repore: Which One Is Correct?
It’s Afini, I am the author at Vocab press, a website focused on animal facts with clear visuals and simple guides. I research and share accurate, easy-to-understand information for readers of all ages. My goal is to make learning about animals fun, trustworthy, and simple. I follow fact-based writing and keep content updated, helpful, and people-first. Thank you for reading.
