COMMENDING, participle present tense Praising; representing favorably; committing, or delivering in charge. Note: In imitation of the French, we are accustomed to use recommendation, etc., for commendation. But in most instances, it is better to use the word without the prefix re. A letter of commendation, is the preferable phrase.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI