noun
modality
moh-DAL-uh-tee
Modality (noun) means a particular method or way in which something is done or experienced. Example: “The clinic offers several treatment modalities, including physiotherapy and acupuncture.”
noun
1
A particular method or way in which something is done or experienced.
"The clinic offers several treatment modalities, including physiotherapy and acupuncture."
"Online teaching is now an accepted modality of instruction."
2
Any of the channels through which the body takes in sensation, such as sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell.
"The experiment tested whether learning transfers across sensory modalities."
3
In grammar and logic, the expression of possibility, necessity, obligation or permission, typically carried by words such as may, must and should.
"Modal verbs are the main way English marks modality."
How to use modality
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA particular way of doing or sensing something.
When to use it
Formal; common in medicine, psychology, education, linguistics and computing.
Memory tip
If you can replace the word with 'type of approach' and the sentence still works, modality is the right choice.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
treatment modality
imaging modality
sensory modality
modality of delivery
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Online teaching is now an accepted _____ of instruction.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin modalitas, from Latin modus, meaning 'measure' or 'manner'.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for modality
See all rhymes for modality →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between modality and method?
A method is a specific procedure for doing something, while a modality is a broader category or channel that many methods can sit inside. Group therapy is a modality; a particular exercise used in a session is a method.
What does modality mean in medicine?
It usually means a form of treatment or a form of imaging. Physiotherapy, radiotherapy and drug therapy are treatment modalities, and MRI, CT and ultrasound are imaging modalities.
What is multimodal?
Multimodal means involving more than one modality at once. A multimodal AI system, for instance, handles text, images and audio rather than just one type of input.
What is the meaning of modality?
"modality" (noun) means a particular method or way in which something is done or experienced.
