modal C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities 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 Appears in Phrases (1) See all modal auxiliary an auxiliary verb that expresses meanings such as possibility, necessity, or permission 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 Describing Qualities Language & Linguistics Word Formation & Derivatives External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # 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 - Describing Qualities - Language & Linguistics - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown