modal
Noun · AdjectiveOpen English WordNet
Adjective (3)
- relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution“the modal age at which American novelists reach their peak is 30”Synonyms: averageOpposite abnormalSimilar normal
- of or relating to a musical mode; especially written in an ecclesiastical modeRelating to mode
- relating to or expressing the mood of a verb“modal auxiliary”Relating to mode
Noun (1)
- an auxiliary verb (such as ‘can’ or ‘will’) that is used to express modalitySynonyms: modal auxiliary verbmodal auxiliarymodal verbType of auxiliary verb
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: Cf. F. modal. See Mode.
1. Of or pertaining to a mode or mood; consisting in mode or form only; relating to form; having the form without the essence or reality. Joseph Glanvill
2. Logic & Metaph. Indicating, or pertaining to, some mode of conceiving existence, or of expressing thought, such as the modes of possibility or obligation.
3. Grammar Pertaining to or denoting mood.
A modal auxiliary.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: +PJC, GCIDE editors
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
1.(Of an interface) Having modes. Modeless interfaces are generally considered to be superior because the user does not have to remember which mode he is in.
2.See modal logic.
3.In MS Windows programming, A window with the label "WS_MODAL" will stay on the screen and claim all the user-input. Other windows can only be accessed if the MODAL window is closed. Such a window would typically be used for an error dialog box to warn the user for something important, like "Critical error, shut down the system and restart".
(1995-02-07)