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Definition of 'modal'

Word Frequency

modal

(moʊdəl )
Word forms: plural modals
countable noun
In grammar, a modal or a modal auxiliary is a word such as 'can' or 'would' which is used with a main verb to express ideas such as possibility, intention, or necessity.
[technical]
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency

modal in British

(ˈməʊdəl )
adjective
1. 
of, relating to, or characteristic of mode or manner
2. grammar
(of a verb form or auxiliary verb) expressing a distinction of mood, such as that between possibility and actuality. The modal auxiliaries in English include can, could, may, must, need, ought, shall, should, will, and would
3. philosophy, logic
a. 
qualifying or expressing a qualification of the truth of some statement, for example, as necessary or contingent
b. 
relating to analogous qualifications such as that of rules as obligatory or permissive
4. metaphysics
of or relating to the form of a thing as opposed to its attributes, substance, etc
5. music
of or relating to a mode
6. 
of or relating to a statistical mode
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
modally (ˈmodally)
  adverb
Word Frequency

modal in American

(ˈmoʊdəl ; mōdˈ'l)
adjective
1. 
of or indicating a mode or mood
2.  Grammar
of or expressing mood
a modal auxiliary
3. 
a.  Jazz
of or relating to compositions or improvisations based on an arrangement of modes rather than a series of chord progressions
b. 
in popular music, of or characterized by the repetition of one or two chords as a harmonic base
4.  Logic
expressing or characterized by modality
5.  Music
of or composed in any of the medieval church modes
6.  Philosophy
of mode, or form, as opposed to substance
7.  Statistics
having to do with a statistical mode
noun
8.  Grammar
modal auxiliary
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
modally (ˈmodally)
  adverb
Word origin of 'modal'
ML modalis < L modus, mode

Trends of 'modal'

In Common Usage. modal is one of the 10000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Translations for 'modal'

British English: modal NOUN
In grammar, a modal or a modal auxiliary is a word such as 'can' or 'would' which is used with a main verb to express ideas such as possibility, intention, or necessity.
  • American English: modal
  • Brazilian Portuguese: modal
  • Chinese: 情态动词
  • European Spanish: modal
  • French: auxiliaire modal
  • German: Modalverb
  • Italian: verbo modale
  • Japanese: 法助動詞
  • Korean: 조동사
  • European Portuguese: modal
  • Spanish: modal

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Nearby words of 'modal'

  • mod cons
  • modacrylic
  • modafinil
  • modal
  • modal analysis
  • modal auxiliary
  • modal logic

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'M'

Related Terms of 'modal'

  • modal logic
  • modal analysis
  • modal auxiliary

Source

Definition of modal from the Collins English Dictionary

May and might

Both may and might can be used in requests and in expressions of possibility for the present and future. Might I ask you your name? The weather may/ might be better tomorrow. Craig may/ might...
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Scrabble score for 'modal': 8
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