modal

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an auxiliary verb (such as `can' or `will') that is used to express modality
  2. adjective relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution
  3. adjective of or relating to a musical mode; especially written in an ecclesiastical mode

Etymology

From Middle French modal, from Medieval Latin modālis (“pertaining to a mode”), from Latin modus (“mode”). Compare to French, Spanish, and Portuguese modal and Italian modale. By surface analysis, mod(e) + -al.

Synonyms

modal auxiliary verb, modal auxiliary, modal verb

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