modal C2+ Topic:Grammar & Function Words US /ˈmoʊdəl/ UK /ˈməʊdəl/ See IPA manual Homophones modal verb /ˈmoʊdəl/ Meanings 1 adj relating to mode or form; in grammar, expressing possibility or necessity Words like 'can' and 'must' are modal verbs in English. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · relating to mode or form;... formalstructural Word family Derived forms modallymodality Related forms modemodelmodalitymodulate Common collocations modal auxiliary Adjective + noun Etymology AI details From Medieval Latin modalis ('relating to a mode'), from Latin modus ('measure, manner, mode'). modalis Latin modus Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Grammar & Function Words Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # modal **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˈmoʊdəl/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈməʊdəl/ ## Meanings 1. relating to mode or form; in grammar, expressing possibility or necessity ## Examples - Words like 'can' and 'must' are modal verbs in English. ## Synonyms - formal - structural ## Derived Forms - modally - modality ## Related Forms - mode - model - modality - modulate ## Roots and Affixes - Root: modalis - Root: modus ## Etymology From Medieval Latin modalis ('relating to a mode'), from Latin modus ('measure, manner, mode'). ## AI Etymology Modal comes from Medieval Latin modalis ('relating to a mode'), from Latin modus ('measure, manner, mode'). The etymological trail includes Latin modalis, Latin modus. The same word family includes modally, modality, mode, model, modulate. Its current adjective use means "relating to mode or form; in grammar, expressing possibility or necessity". ## Topics - Grammar & Function Words - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown