ENGLISH
REFERENCE

modi

n.
US //ˈmoʊdi// mo·di
  1. 1 ways of doing things (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Technical

    the plural of 'modus', meaning ways or methods of doing something.

    The plural form of 'modus', referring to methods, manners, or ways of operating.

    Example

    The researchers studied the different modi of communication used by the tribes.

    Example

    The legal team examined the various modi operandi employed by the suspects to identify a recurring pattern in their activities.

    Usage

    Usually appears in the Latin phrase 'modi operandi' (ways of operating).
  2. 2 musical scales (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Formal Music

    different types of musical scales used in ancient or church music.

    The plural of 'modus' in a musical context, referring to the melodic modes used in Gregorian chant or early music theory.

    Example

    The composer used ancient modi to give the piece a haunting, old-fashioned sound.

    Example

    Scholars of medieval musicology often debate the precise tuning and emotional characteristics attributed to the various modi in liturgical chant.
  3. 3 the Modi script (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a historical alphabet once used to write the Marathi language in India.

    A cursive script used for writing the Marathi language from the 12th century until the mid-20th century.

    Example

    The historian spent years learning to read old documents written in Modi.

    Example

    The transition from the Modi script to Balbodh Devanagari significantly altered the archival accessibility of Maratha administrative records for modern readers.

Last updated June 20, 2026