English

Adjective

modal ‎(comparative more modal, superlative most modal)

1. of, or relating to a mode or modus
2. (grammar) of, relating to, or describing the mood of a clause
3. (grammar) modal verb
   • 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational Grammar: A First Course, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-34750-5, page 61:

     Using the same type of distributional criterion, we could argue that only a Verb (in its base form) can occur in the position marked — in (23) below to complete the sentence:
     (23)     They/it can —
     [...]
     Conversely, the only type of word which could be used to begin a three-word sentence such as (25) below:
     (25)     — I be frank?
     is a Modal: cf. [...]

4. (music) of, relating to, or composed in the musical modi by which an octave is divided, associated with emotional moods in Ancient — and in medieval ecclesiastical music
5. (logic) of, or relating to the modality between propositions
6. (statistics) relating to the statistical mode.
7. (computing) Having separate modes in which user input has different effects.
8. (graphical user interface) Requiring immediate user interaction and thus presented so that it cannot be closed until a decision is made.

   a modal dialog; a modal window

9. (metaphysics) Relating to the form of a thing rather to any of its attributes

Synonyms

• forming
• conditioning

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

modal ‎(plural modals)

1. (logic) A modal proposition
2. (linguistics) A modal form, notably a modal auxiliary.
3. (graphical user interface) A modal window, one that cannot be closed until a decision is made.
   • 1996, OOPSLA '96: Conference on Object-Oriented Programming Systems, Languages, and Applications (volume 31, issues 10-12)

     Modal screen elements are subtrees which, when activated, disable all elements external to them. Examples of modals are yes-no message boxes and the application itself.

Translations

See also

• semimodal

Anagrams

• dolma
• domal
• MOALD

French

Etymology

From Medieval Latin modalis, from Latin modus 'mode'.

Pronunciation

Adjective

modal m ‎(feminine singular modale, masculine plural modaux, feminine plural modales)

1. modal

Derived terms

• modalité
• amodal

Noun

modal m ‎(plural modaux)

1. a modal verb

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /moˈdaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

modal ‎(not comparable)

1. modal

Declension

Portuguese

Adjective

modal m, f ‎(plural modais, comparable)

1. modal (all senses)

Spanish

Adjective

modal m, f ‎(plural modales)

1. modal

Related terms

• modales
• modalidad