modality
Way of being
Modality refers to a particular mode, method, or form of something.
In medicine, it describes a type of treatment or therapy: The clinic offers multiple modalities including acupuncture and massage.
In linguistics, modality concerns how speakers express necessity, possibility, or obligation—what "must," "might," or "should" convey.
More broadly, modality can mean any sensory channel: visual modality, auditory modality.
The word often appears in academic or professional contexts where "method" or "type" would serve equally well but sound less impressive.
Of or concerning sight
- auditoryOf or relating to hearing
- writtenComposed in text
- spokenExpressed in words aloud
- gesturalRelating to body movements
textual · verbal · nonverbal · multimodal · multimedia · channel · medium · synchronous
Prevailing emotional condition
- tenseStrained or nervous
- aspectFeature or dimension
- polarityState of opposing forces
- negationDenial or cancellation
inflection · auxiliary · indicative · subjunctive · imperative · conditional · epistemic
Mental interpretation of stimuli
- sensationPerceived stimulus or phenomenon
- touchPerceiving through physical contact
- smellOlfactory perception
- tasteFlavor perception ability
hearing · sight · vision · auditory · olfactory · gustatory · tactile · kinesthetic
Indispensable requirement
- possibilityState of being achievable
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- axiomSelf-evident starting principle
- propositionStatement expressing a judgment
syllogism · deduction · inference · validity · predicate · quantifier · epistemic · counterfactual
Of or concerning sight
- auditoryOf or relating to hearing
- kinestheticRelating to body awareness
- readingInterpreting written text
- tactileOf the touching sense
experiential · hands-on · lecture · demonstration · simulation · multisensory · instructional · pedagogical
Producing visual representations
- treatmentCare for an ailment
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- MRIMagnetic body imaging
- CTTomographic imaging method
X-ray · PET · radiology · therapy · intervention · diagnosis · chemotherapy · radiotherapy
Way of handling something
- techniqueSkilled way of performing
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- formatArrangement and presentation style
- frameworkUnderlying support system
protocol · system · mechanism · methodology · paradigm · workflow · delivery · implementation
Finger positioning in signing
- movementChange in position
- locationPosition in space
- orientationPosition relative to surroundings
- fingerspellingLetter-by-letter hand alphabet
facial expression · eyebrows · mouthing · ASL · BSL · classifier · simultaneity · two-handed
visual
Of or concerning sight
gestural · textual · verbal · nonverbal · multimodal · multimedia · channel · medium · synchronous · asynchronous
mood
Prevailing emotional condition
negation · inflection · auxiliary · indicative · subjunctive · imperative · conditional · epistemic
perception
Mental interpretation of stimuli
- sensationPerceived stimulus or phenomenon
- touchPerceiving through physical contact
- smellOlfactory perception
taste · hearing · sight · vision · auditory · olfactory · gustatory · tactile · kinesthetic · somatosensory
necessity
Indispensable requirement
- possibilityState of being achievable
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- axiomSelf-evident starting principle
proposition · syllogism · deduction · inference · validity · predicate · quantifier · epistemic · counterfactual · accessibility
visual
Of or concerning sight
- auditoryOf or relating to hearing
- kinestheticRelating to body awareness
- readingInterpreting written text
tactile · experiential · hands-on · lecture · demonstration · simulation · multisensory · instructional · pedagogical · e-learning
imaging
Producing visual representations
- treatmentCare for an ailment
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- MRIMagnetic body imaging
CT · X-ray · PET · radiology · therapy · intervention · diagnosis · chemotherapy · radiotherapy · physiotherapy
approach
Way of handling something
- techniqueSkilled way of performing
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- formatArrangement and presentation style
framework · protocol · system · mechanism · methodology · paradigm · workflow · delivery · implementation · intervention
handshape
Finger positioning in signing
- movementChange in position
- locationPosition in space
- orientationPosition relative to surroundings
fingerspelling · facial expression · eyebrows · mouthing · ASL · BSL · classifier · simultaneity · two-handed · one-handed
- astrologyastrology, zodiac, horoscope, horoscopes, birth chart
- metaphysicsessence, being, reality, existence, substance theory
- radiologyX-ray, CT scan, MRI machine, MRI, radiologist
- discoursediscussion, discourse, text analysis, dialogue, cohesion
- ER diagramsentity, entities, relationship, relationships, attribute
- Japanese grammarparticles, conjugation, inflection, verb forms, adjectives
modalityunity
Wholeness through cohesion
integration · multimodality · synthesis · uniformity · undifferentiation
modalityactuality
State of existing fact
factuality · reality · necessity · certainty · absoluteness