ENGLISH
REFERENCE

operandi

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US //ˌɑpɝˈændaɪ// operan·di

n. the usual way that a person or group does something, especially when they are doing something illegal. It is often used to describe the specific methods a criminal uses to commit crimes.

n. the usual way in which a person or group operates, particularly in the context of criminal activity. Often used in the plural to describe the specific methods or patterns of a perpetrator.


SIMPLE

The police are trying to learn the criminal's modus operandi.

CONTEXTUAL

By analyzing the security footage, investigators identified a consistent modus operandi that involved disabling the alarm system before entering the building.

COMPLEX

The forensic team noted that the suspect's modus operandi had evolved over the last decade, shifting from physical break-ins to sophisticated digital intrusions that bypassed traditional security protocols.

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