mode

See also: Mode, mòde, and møde

English

Pronunciation

  • (General American) IPA(key): /moʊd/
    • Audio (US):(file)
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /məʊd/
  • (Scotland) IPA(key): /mod/
  • Rhymes: -əʊd
  • Homophone: mowed (except Scotland)

Etymology 1

From Old French mode (masculine), from Latin modus (“measure, due measure, rhythm, melody”). Doublet of modus.

Noun

mode (plural modes)

  1. A particular means of accomplishing something.
    What was the mode of entry?
    • 1855, Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, volume 9, page 205:
      An effectual and inexpensive mode of Protecting Wall-Trees from Spring-Frosts.
    1. (mathematics, physics) A state of a system that is represented by an eigenfunction of that system.
      1. (especially engineering) A state related to signals or vibrations.
        common-mode
        differential-mode
        normal mode of vibration
      2. (electromagnetism) A wave pattern in the electromagnetic field.
        longitudinal mode
        transverse mode
    2. (computing) One of various related sets of rules for processing data; more generally, any state of the system associated with certain behaviours.
      Hyponyms: emulation mode, immediate mode, local emulation mode, protected mode, real mode, retained mode, strict mode
      In insert mode, characters typed are directly inserted into the buffer.
    3. (electronics) A series of settings on a device used for a specific purpose.
      airplane mode; night mode
      • 2024 May 4, Mat Gallagher, “I tried Mercedes’ new autonomous driving in busy city streets – it's mind-blowing”, in T3‎[1], archived from the original on 10 September 2026:
        The car was then placed into its Level 2 driving mode, much like you would for the current adaptive cruise control systems.
    4. (video games) A variation in gameplay, such as a difficulty level.
      • 2017 October 17, Jonathan M. Gitlin, “Gran Turismo Sport is extremely limited in offline mode”, in Ars Technica‎[2], archived from the original on 16 November 2025:
        Campaign mode (the career mode that includes the notorious Gran Turismo driving school) is off limits while offline. Also unavailable offline: buying new cars, viewing your garage, editing car liveries, and even the "taking photos of fancy cars in exotic scenery" mode.
      • 2018 March 6, Martin Robinson, “Dispelling the myths of Bloodborne”, in Eurogamer‎[3], archived from the original on 16 March 2022:
        I've stumbled over gaming's simplest hurdles, been humiliated by the lowliest of enemies and will often go for an easy mode if one's available, and yet I've run through Bloodborne twice without ever really breaking much of a sweat.
      • 2019 February 25, Jordan Erica Webber, “Point and shoot: what's next for photography in video games?”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎[4], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 October 2026:
        Selfie modes, meanwhile, let you add filters and change characters’ facial expressions, from Link in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker to Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2.
    5. (grammar) A verb form that depends on how its containing clause relates to the speaker’s or writer’s wish, intent, or assertion about reality.
      Synonyms: mood, grammatical mood
      Hyponyms: imperative mode, indicative mode, infinitive mode, subjunctive mode
    6. (philosophy) That which exists only as a quality of substance.
    7. (transport, urban studies) A particular means of transportation as a class.
      • 1964, John B. Lansing, Dwight M. Blood, Mode Choice in Intercity Travel: A Multivariate Statistical Analysis; a Report to the Under Secretary for Transportation, U.S. Dept. of Commerce:
        It makes relatively little difference in mode choice except that some high income people avoid bus trips of 100 miles or more and except for the tendency of upper income people when traveling on business to travel by air.
  2. A particular state of being, or frame of mind.
    After a series of early setbacks, her political campaign is in crisis mode.
    After being stabbed, he went into survival mode until he got to the hospital.
  4. (statistics) The most frequently occurring value in a distribution.
    Hypernym: average (broad sense)
    Coordinate terms: mean (broad sense), mean (narrow sense), average (narrow sense), median
  5. (music) One of several common scales in modern Western music, one of which corresponds to the modern major scale and one to the natural minor scale.
    1. (music, in particular) One of several ancient Greek scales.
  6. (textiles) In lace-making, a small decorative piece inserted into a pattern.
    1. (textiles) The openwork between the solid parts of a pattern.
    2. (obsolete) A woman's mantle with a hood.
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From French mode f (“fashion, trend”).

Noun

mode (plural modes)

  1. Style or fashion; popular trend.
    Her wardrobe is always in mode.
    • 1922, Edith Van Dyne, chapter 4, in Mary Louise and Josie O'Gorman:
      The dress she wore was no longer a cheap blue serge but a handsome tricolette, richly trimmed according to the prevailing mode.
Derived terms
Translations

See also

Anagrams

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin modus. Doublet of moda, a borrowing through French.

Pronunciation

Noun

mode m (plural modes)

  1. way, manner
  2. (logic) modus
  3. (grammar) mood
  4. (music) mode
  5. (philosophy) mode
  6. (mathematics, physics) mode

Derived terms

  • mode d’ésser

Further reading

Danish

Etymology

From French mode, from Latin modus (“manner, method”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /moːdə/, [ˈmoːðə]

Noun

mode c (singular definite moden, plural indefinite moder)

  1. fashion

Inflection

Declension of mode
common
gender 		singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative mode moden moder moderne
genitive modes modens moders modernes

Further reading

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French mode, from Latin modus. Doublet of modus.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmoː.də/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: mo‧de
  • Rhymes: -oːdə

Noun

mode f (plural modes, diminutive modetje n)

  1. fashion, trend
    Deze broek is totaal uit de mode. ― These pants are totally out of fashion.
  2. (obsolete) custom, tradition, manner

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Afrikaans: mode
  • → Indonesian: mode
  • → Sranan Tongo: modo
    • → Caribbean Hindustani: modo
    • → Kari'na: moto
  • → West Frisian: moade

Anagrams

Esperanto

Etymology

Etymology tree
Esperanto modo
Proto-Italic *-ēd
Old Latin -ēd
Latin -ebor.
Russian -е (-e)influ.
▲
Polish -einflu.
Czech -einflu.
Esperanto -e
Esperanto mode

    From modo + -e.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈmode/
    • Rhymes: -ode
    • Syllabification: mo‧de

    Adverb

    mode

    1. fashionably
      Synonym: laŭmode
      • 1937, British Esperantist:
        Li preferas jarcento ol centjaro; kaj aprobas la formojn bluokulo (blua okulo) ; belknabino (bela knabino), libertempo (libera tempo), kiujn lastatempo estas mode kondamni.
        He prefers jarcento to centjaro, and approves the forms bluokulo (blua okulo) ; belknabino (bela knabino), libertempo (libera tempo), which it has been fashionable to condemn lately.
      • 2002, Julian Modest, “La glita kaj danĝera vojo,”, in La Ondo de Esperanto:
        Li estis mode vestita per eleganta kolombkolora jako kaj blanka ĉemizo, kiu brilis kiel neĝo.
        He was fashionably dressed in an elegant dove-colored jacket and a white shirt that shined like snow.
      • 2003, Thierry Salomon, “La mondolingvo,”, in Monato:
        Tie, dudek jarojn post la milito, iu sinjoro Etiemble skribis libron „Ĉu vi parolas frermane?”. Kiu dum iom da tempo havis efiketon kaj forpuŝis kelkajn germanismojn, sed poste por unu forpuŝita dek novaj venis. Ne estas mode rezisti al tiu fenomeno.
        There, twenty years after the war, one Mr. Etiemble wrote a book, "Do you speak Frerman?" Which for a little while had a small effect and pushed out a few germanisms, but later for each one pushed out ten new ones arrived. It's not fashionable to resist this phenomenon.

    Finnish

    Etymology

    Clipping of moderaattori.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈmode/, [ˈmo̞de̞]
    • Rhymes: -ode
    • Syllabification(key): mo‧de
    • Hyphenation(key): mo‧de

    Noun

    mode (colloquial)

    1. synonym of moderaattori

    Declension

    Inflection of mode (Kotus type 8/nalle, no gradation)
    nominative mode modet
    genitive moden modejen
    partitive modea modeja
    illative modeen modeihin
    singular plural
    nominative mode modet
    accusative nom. mode modet
    gen. moden
    genitive moden modejen
    modein rare
    partitive modea modeja
    inessive modessa modeissa
    elative modesta modeista
    illative modeen modeihin
    adessive modella modeilla
    ablative modelta modeilta
    allative modelle modeille
    essive modena modeina
    translative modeksi modeiksi
    abessive modetta modeitta
    instructive — modein
    comitative See the possessive forms below.
    Possessive forms of mode (Kotus type 8/nalle, no gradation)
    first-person singular possessor
    singular plural
    nominative modeni modeni
    accusative nom. modeni modeni
    gen. modeni
    genitive modeni modejeni
    modeini rare
    partitive modeani modejani
    inessive modessani modeissani
    elative modestani modeistani
    illative modeeni modeihini
    adessive modellani modeillani
    ablative modeltani modeiltani
    allative modelleni modeilleni
    essive modenani modeinani
    translative modekseni modeikseni
    abessive modettani modeittani
    instructive — —
    comitative — modeineni
    second-person singular possessor
    singular plural
    nominative modesi modesi
    accusative nom. modesi modesi
    gen. modesi
    genitive modesi modejesi
    modeisi rare
    partitive modeasi modejasi
    inessive modessasi modeissasi
    elative modestasi modeistasi
    illative modeesi modeihisi
    adessive modellasi modeillasi
    ablative modeltasi modeiltasi
    allative modellesi modeillesi
    essive modenasi modeinasi
    translative modeksesi modeiksesi
    abessive modettasi modeittasi
    instructive — —
    comitative — modeinesi
    first-person plural possessor
    singular plural
    nominative modemme modemme
    accusative nom. modemme modemme
    gen. modemme
    genitive modemme modejemme
    modeimme rare
    partitive modeamme modejamme
    inessive modessamme modeissamme
    elative modestamme modeistamme
    illative modeemme modeihimme
    adessive modellamme modeillamme
    ablative modeltamme modeiltamme
    allative modellemme modeillemme
    essive modenamme modeinamme
    translative modeksemme modeiksemme
    abessive modettamme modeittamme
    instructive — —
    comitative — modeinemme
    second-person plural possessor
    singular plural
    nominative modenne modenne
    accusative nom. modenne modenne
    gen. modenne
    genitive modenne modejenne
    modeinne rare
    partitive modeanne modejanne
    inessive modessanne modeissanne
    elative modestanne modeistanne
    illative modeenne modeihinne
    adessive modellanne modeillanne
    ablative modeltanne modeiltanne
    allative modellenne modeillenne
    essive modenanne modeinanne
    translative modeksenne modeiksenne
    abessive modettanne modeittanne
    instructive — —
    comitative — modeinenne
    third-person possessor
    singular plural
    nominative modensa modensa
    accusative nom. modensa modensa
    gen. modensa
    genitive modensa modejensa
    modeinsa rare
    partitive modeaan
    modeansa     		modejaan
    modejansa
    inessive modessaan
    modessansa     		modeissaan
    modeissansa
    elative modestaan
    modestansa     		modeistaan
    modeistansa
    illative modeensa modeihinsa
    adessive modellaan
    modellansa     		modeillaan
    modeillansa
    ablative modeltaan
    modeltansa     		modeiltaan
    modeiltansa
    allative modelleen
    modellensa     		modeilleen
    modeillensa
    essive modenaan
    modenansa     		modeinaan
    modeinansa
    translative modekseen
    modeksensa     		modeikseen
    modeiksensa
    abessive modettaan
    modettansa     		modeittaan
    modeittansa
    instructive — —
    comitative — modeineen
    modeinensa

    Anagrams

    French

    Etymology

      Inherited from Middle French mode, from Old French mode f, ultimately from Latin modus m. The masculine gender was reintroduced for some senses during the Middle French period under influence of the Latin. Doublet of mœuf.

      Pronunciation

      Noun

      mode f (plural modes)

      1. fashion, trend
        Il faut suivre la mode en France.
        You've got to follow fashion in France.

      Derived terms

      Descendants

      Noun

      mode m (plural modes)

      1. method, means, way, mode
        mode de paiement ― method of payment
        Quel mode de transport est-ce que tu utilises ?
        What method of transport do you use?
      2. (grammar) mode, mood
        Synonym: (obsolete) mœuf
      3. (music) mode
        Synonym: (obsolete) mœuf
      4. (statistics) mode (most common value)

      Derived terms

      Further reading

      Anagrams

      Indonesian

      Etymology

      Pronunciation

      Noun

      modê (plural mode-mode)

      1. mode, style or fashion; popular trend
        Synonyms: busana, fesyen
      2. mode,
        1. (electronics) a series of settings on a device used for a specific purpose
          Synonym: bentuk
        2. (computing) one of various related sets of rules for processing data

      Alternative forms

      Further reading

      Italian

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ˈmɔ.de/
      • Rhymes: -ɔde
      • Hyphenation: mò‧de

      Noun

      mode f

      1. plural of moda

      Anagrams

      Latin

      Noun

      mode

      1. vocative singular of modus

      Makasar

      Etymology

      From Dutch mode (“fashion; trend”), from French mode, from Latin modus.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ˈmode/, [ˈmo.dɛ]
      • Hyphenation: mo‧de

      Noun

      mode (Lontara spelling ᨆᨚᨉᨙ or 𑻥𑻶𑻧𑻵, definite modea)

      1. fashion; trend; current style (specifically regarding clothes, haircuts, decorations, etc.)
        Bajunna mode kamma-kammaya anne
        Her clothes are of the current fashion.

      Derived terms

      affixations

      Middle English

      Alternative forms

      Etymology 1

      From Old English mōd, from Proto-Germanic *mōdaz.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /moːd/
      • Rhymes: -oːd

      Noun

      mode (plural modes)

      1. Activity within one's mind or brain:
        1. One's current mindset or feelings; mood:
          1. Fortitude, braveness, bravery, heart.
          2. Vainness, proudness; the display of conceit.
          3. Sadness, lamenting; the state of being sad or upset.
          4. Angriness, ire, resentment.
        2. One's mental capacity or intellect; the fount of reasoning.
        3. One's overall or overarching feelings; an opinion or will.
        4. What one currently wants or likes; a goal or aim
        5. One's motivation or willpower; resoluteness.
        6. (rare) Part of one's thought process.
      2. A person's nature or temperament; that which defines one's behaviour.
      3. One's visible nature; the appearance of someone.
      4. (rare) One's actions as a whole; the way one behaves.
      5. (rare) Writing or speaking; communication.
      6. (rare) An enterprise or endeavour.
      Descendants
      References

      Adjective

      mode (rare)

      1. Vain, boastful, conceited.
      2. Upset, distressed.
      References

      Etymology 2

      From Old French mode, from Latin modus.

      Alternative forms

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ˈmɔːd(ə)/, /ˈmoːd(ə)/

      Noun

      mode (plural modes) (Late Middle English)

      1. Grammatical mood or modality.
      2. (rare) Songs; pieces or sources of music.
      Descendants
      References

      Norman

      Etymology

      (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

      Noun

      mode f (plural modes)

      1. (Jersey) fashion

      Norwegian Bokmål

      Etymology

      From French mode (“fashion, trend”), from Middle French mode, from Old French mode, from Latin modus (“measure, manner”), from Proto-Italic *modōs, from Proto-Indo-European *mod-ōs (“measure”), from *med- (“to measure”). Doublet of mote.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /mɔːd/
      • Audio:(file)
      • Rhymes: -ɔːd
      • Hyphenation: mode

      Adverb

      mode

      1. only used in à la mode (“a la mode”)
      2. only used in a la mode (“a la mode”)

      Anagrams

      Norwegian Nynorsk

      Alternative forms

      Adjective

      mode

      1. neuter singular of moden

      Old English

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ˈmoː.de/

      Noun

      mōde

      1. dative singular of mōd

      Pali

      Alternative forms

      Alternative scripts
      • 𑀫𑁄𑀤𑁂 (Brahmi script)
      • मोदे (Devanagari script)
      • মোদে (Bengali script)
      • මොදෙ (Sinhalese script)
      • မောဒေ or မေႃၻေ (Burmese script)
      • โมเท (Thai script)
      • ᨾᩮᩣᨴᩮ (Tai Tham script)
      • ໂມເທ (Lao script)
      • មោទេ (Khmer script)
      • 𑄟𑄮𑄘𑄬 (Chakma script)

      Verb

      mode

      1. inflection of modati (“to rejoice”):
        1. optative active singular
        2. first-person singular present/imperative middle

      Swedish

      Etymology

      From French.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /²muːdɛ/
      • Audio:(file)

      Noun

      mode n

      1. fashion, a fashion trend
        senaste modet ― the latest fashion

      Declension

      Declension of mode
      nominative genitive
      singular indefinite mode modes
      definite modet modets
      plural indefinite moden modens
      definite modena modenas

      Hyponyms

      • dammode
      • herrmode
      • höstmode
      • kvinnomode
      • sommarmode
      • vintermode
      • vårmode

      Derived terms

      • modeaffär
      • modeartikel
      • modebetonad
      • modebild
      • modebutik
      • modedocka
      • modedrottning
      • modeindustri
      • modejournal
      • modekung
      • modelejon
      • modemagasin
      • modemedveten
      • modenyck
      • modeord
      • moderiktig
      • moderiktning
      • modeshow
      • modeskapare
      • modeströmning
      • modetidning

      See also

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