commitment

noun

1. a : placement in or assignment to a prison or mental hospital petition for commitment — compare incompetent, interdiction

   Note: Commitment to a mental health facility is called civil commitment when it is not part of a criminal proceeding. Civil commitment proceedings are initiated by the patient, in the case of voluntary commitment, or by someone (as a family member or government agent) authorized by statute to petition for the patient's involuntary commitment. Some form of a hearing and periodic review is required in involuntary commitment proceedings. A criminal defendant may be committed to a mental hospital as a result of being found incompetent to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, or incompetent to be sentenced.

   b : an act of referring a matter to a legislative committee

   c : a warrant committing someone to a prison

2. : an agreement or promise to do something in the future; especially : a promise to assume a financial obligation at a future date cannot meet their loan commitments : a promise to assume a financial obligation at a future date cannot meet their loan commitments