Modal

/ˈmoʊ.dəl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A modal verb, which is an auxiliary verb used to express ability, possibility, permission, or obligation.

In the phrase 'You must finish your homework', 'must' is a modal.

A type of scale used in music theory, particularly relating to modes.

The music instructor explained the different modals and how they affect the mood of a composition.

adjective

Relating to mood or form, especially in grammar, relating to the mood of a verb that expresses the speaker's attitude toward the action.

In English, modal verbs like 'can', 'could', 'may', and 'must' express necessity or possibility.

In music, relating to or based on the system of modes, particularly referring to the major and minor scales.

The piece was composed in a modal scale, giving it a unique sound compared to traditional major and minor compositions.

In statistics, referring to the mode, or the value that appears most frequently in a data set.

The modal value of the dataset indicated that most participants preferred option A over the others.

Derived from Latin 'modalis,' meaning 'of a mode or measure.'

modal logic:

A type of logic that deals with modes of truth, such as necessity and possibility.

modal verbs:

Verbs used to indicate modality, such as can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would.

modal window:

A dialog box that requires the user to interact with it before they can return to operating the parent application.