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Modal vs. Model — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 3, 2023
Modal" pertains to mode or manner, often used in grammar to denote auxiliary verbs expressing necessity or possibility, while "model" refers to a representation or an example to follow.
Modal vs. Model — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Modal and Model

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Key Differences

The word modal often relates to mode or manner. In linguistics, modals are auxiliary verbs that convey necessity or possibility, such as "can" or "must". Conversely, the term model primarily refers to a three-dimensional representation of something or an ideal example to emulate.
When discussing user interfaces in software design, modal usually pertains to a window that demands user interaction before proceeding. On the other hand, a model in the same context can represent the data component in software architecture.
In the realm of music, the term modal refers to scales that are neither major nor minor, offering a distinct sound. Meanwhile, a model might describe a specific version or design of a musical instrument.
In the domain of transport, modal pertains to the mode of transportation, such as multimodal transport which involves multiple methods of transportation. Contrastingly, a model often refers to a particular design or variant of a vehicle.
If someone speaks of modal logic in philosophy, they are addressing a type of logic that explores modes of truth, like necessity and possibility. Whereas, the word model in this domain could describe a structured representation of a philosophical concept or theory.
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Comparison Chart

Linguistics

Auxiliary verbs indicating necessity or possibility.
Not directly applicable.

Software Design

A window requiring user interaction.
Representation of data.

Music

Refers to scales other than major or minor.
A version or design of an instrument.

Transportation

Pertains to the mode of transport.
A specific design of a vehicle.

Philosophy

A type of logic denoting modes of truth.
A representation of a concept or theory.

Compare with Definitions

Modal

Pertaining to a specific type of scale in music.
The song used a modal scale, giving it a unique sound.

Model

A three-dimensional representation of something.
She built a model of the solar system for her project.

Modal

Relating to mode or manner.
His speech had a peculiar modal quality.

Model

An exemplar or ideal to be emulated.
He was a role model for many young athletes.

Modal

In grammar, an auxiliary verb expressing necessity or possibility.
Can and must are examples of modal verbs.

Model

A particular design or version of a product.
The latest model of that car is quite advanced.

Modal

Referring to a window in computing that demands user attention.
When the modal window appeared, she couldn't access other parts of the application.

Model

A small object, usually built to scale, that represents in detail another, often larger object.

Modal

Of, relating to, or characteristic of a mode.

Model

A preliminary work or construction that serves as a plan from which a final product is to be made
A clay model ready for casting.

Modal

(Grammar) Of, relating to, or expressing the mood of a verb.

Model

Such a work or construction used in testing or perfecting a final product
A test model of a solar-powered vehicle.

Modal

(Music) Of, relating to, characteristic of, or composed in any of the modes typical of medieval church music.

Model

A schematic description or representation of something, especially a system or phenomenon, that accounts for its properties and is used to study its characteristics
A model of generative grammar.
A model of an atom.
An economic model.

Modal

(Philosophy) Of or relating to mode without referring to substance.

Model

A style or design of an item
My car is last year's model.

Modal

(Logic) Expressing or characterized by modality.

Model

One serving as an example to be imitated or compared
A model of decorum.

Modal

(Statistics) Of or relating to a statistical mode or modes.

Model

One that serves as the subject for an artist, especially a person employed to pose for a painter, sculptor, or photographer.

Modal

See modal auxiliary.

Model

One that serves as the basis for a fictional character or place.

Modal

Of, or relating to a mode or modus.

Model

A person employed to display merchandise, such as clothing or cosmetics.

Modal

(grammar) Of, relating to, or describing the mood of a clause.

Model

(Zoology) An animal whose appearance is copied by a mimic.

Modal

(music) Of, relating to, or composed in the musical modi by which an octave is divided, associated with emotional moods in Ancient — and in medieval ecclesiastical — music.

Model

Being, serving as, or used as a model.

Modal

(logic) Of, or relating to the modality between propositions.

Model

Worthy of imitation
A model child.

Modal

(statistics) Relating to the statistical mode.

Model

To make or construct a descriptive or representational model of
Computer programs that model climate change.

Modal

(computing) Having separate modes in which user input has different effects.

Model

To plan, construct, or fashion in imitation of a model
Modeled his legal career after that of his mentor.

Modal

(GUI) Requiring immediate user interaction and thus presented so that it cannot be closed or interacted behind until a decision is made.
A modal dialog; a modal window

Model

To make by shaping a plastic substance
Modeled a bust from clay.

Modal

(metaphysics) Relating to the form of a thing rather to any of its attributes.

Model

To form (clay, for example) into a shape.

Modal

(logic) A modal proposition.

Model

To display by wearing or posing in
Model clothes.

Modal

(linguistics) A modal form, notably a modal auxiliary.

Model

In painting, drawing, and photography, to give a three-dimensional appearance to, as by shading or highlighting.

Modal

(grammar) A modal verb.

Model

To exhibit (a behavior) in such a way as to promote the establishment of similar patterns of behavior in another
The therapist modeled socially appropriate conversation.

Modal

(GUI) A modal window, one that cannot be closed until a decision is made.

Model

To repeat (a behavior observed in another)
The child was modeling her mother's nurturing behavior.

Modal

Of or pertaining to a mode or mood; consisting in mode or form only; relating to form; having the form without the essence or reality.

Model

To make a model.

Modal

Indicating, or pertaining to, some mode of conceiving existence, or of expressing thought, such as the modes of possibility or obligation.

Model

To work or serve as a model, as in wearing clothes for display or serving as the subject of an artist.

Modal

Pertaining to or denoting mood.

Model

A person who serves as a subject for artwork or fashion, usually in the medium of photography but also for painting or drawing.
The beautiful model had her face on the cover of almost every fashion magazine imaginable.

Modal

A modal auxiliary.

Model

A person, usually an attractive male or female that is hired to show items or goods to the public, such as items that are given away as prizes on a TV game show.

Modal

Relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution;
The modal age at which American novelists reach their peak is 30

Model

A representation of a physical object, usually in miniature.
The boy played with a model of a World War II fighter plane.

Modal

Of or relating to a musical mode; especially written in an ecclesiastical mode

Model

A simplified representation used to explain the workings of a real world system or event.
The computer weather model did not correctly predict the path of the hurricane.

Modal

Relating to or expressing the mood of a verb;
Modal auxiliary

Model

A style, type, or design.
He decided to buy the turbo engine model of the sports car.
This year's model features four doors instead of two.

Modal

Relating to mode in transportation.
Multimodal transport involves using various modal options.

Model

The structural design of a complex system.
The team developed a sound business model.

Model

A successful example to be copied, with or without modifications.
He was a model of eloquence and virtue.
British parliamentary democracy was seen as a model for other countries to follow.

Model

(logic) An interpretation function which assigns a truth value to each atomic proposition.

Model

(logic) An interpretation which makes a set of sentences true, in which case that interpretation is called a model of that set.

Model

(medicine) An animal that is used to study a human disease or pathology.

Model

Any copy, or resemblance, more or less exact.

Model

(software architecture) In software applications using the model-view-controller design pattern, the part or parts of the application that manage the data.

Model

Worthy of being a model; exemplary.

Model

(transitive) to display for others to see, especially in regard to wearing clothing while performing the role of a fashion model
She modelled the shoes for her friends to see.

Model

(transitive) to use as an object in the creation of a forecast or model
They modelled the data with a computer to analyze the experiment’s results.

Model

(transitive) to make a miniature model of
He takes great pride in his skill at modeling airplanes.

Model

(transitive) to create from a substance such as clay
The sculptor modelled the clay into the form of a dolphin.

Model

(intransitive) to make a model or models

Model

(intransitive) to work as a model in art or fashion
The actress used to model before being discovered by Hollywood.

Model

A miniature representation of a thing, with the several parts in due proportion; sometimes, a facsimile of the same size; as, a
In charts, in maps, and eke in models made.
I had my father's signet in my purse,Which was the model of that Danish seal.
You have the models of several ancient temples, though the temples and the gods are perished.

Model

Something intended to serve, or that may serve, as a pattern of something to be made; a material representation or embodiment of an ideal; sometimes, a drawing; a plan; as, the clay model of a sculpture; the inventor's model of a machine.
[The application for a patent] must be accompanied by a full description of the invention, with drawings and a model where the case admits of it.
When we mean to buildWe first survey the plot, then draw the model.

Model

Anything which serves, or may serve, as an example for imitation; as, a government formed on the model of the American constitution; a model of eloquence, virtue, or behavior.

Model

That by which a thing is to be measured; standard.
He that despairs measures Providence by his own little, contracted model.

Model

Any copy, or resemblance, more or less exact.
Thou seest thy wretched brother die,Who was the model of thy father's life.

Model

A person who poses as a pattern for an artist; as, the artist used his daughter as a model for an Indian maiden.

Model

A person who is employed to wear clothing for the purpose of advertising or display, or who poses with a product for the same purpose; a mannequin{1}; as, a fashion model.
A professional model.

Model

A particular version or design of an object that is made in multiple versions; as, the 1993 model of the Honda Accord; the latest model of the HP laserjet printer. For many manufactured products, the model name is encoded as part of the model number.

Model

An abstract and often simplified conceptual representation of the workings of a system of objects in the real world, which often includes mathematical or logical objects and relations representing the objects and relations in the real-world system, and constructed for the purpose of explaining the workings of the system or predicting its behavior under hypothetical conditions; as, the administration's model of the United States economy predicts budget surpluses for the next fifteen years; different models of the universe assume different values for the cosmological constant; models of proton structure have grown progressively more complex in the past century.

Model

Suitable to be taken as a model or pattern; as, a model house; a model husband.

Model

To plan or form after a pattern; to form in model; to form a model or pattern for; to shape; to mold; to fashion; as, to model a house or a government; to model an edifice according to the plan delineated.

Model

To make a copy or a pattern; to design or imitate forms; as, to model in wax.

Model

A simplified description of a complex entity or process;
The computer program was based on a model of the circulatory and respiratory systems

Model

A type of product;
His car was an old model

Model

A person who poses for a photographer or painter or sculptor;
The president didn't have time to be a model so the artist worked from photos

Model

Representation of something (sometimes on a smaller scale)

Model

Something to be imitated;
An exemplar of success
A model of clarity
He is the very model of a modern major general

Model

Someone worthy of imitation;
Every child needs a role model

Model

A representative form or pattern;
I profited from his example

Model

A woman who wears clothes to display fashions;
She was too fat to be a mannequin

Model

The act of representing something (usually on a smaller scale)

Model

Plan or create according to a model or models

Model

Form in clay, wax, etc;
Model a head with clay

Model

Assume a posture as for artistic purposes;
We don't know the woman who posed for Leonardo so often

Model

Display (clothes) as a mannequin;
Model the latest fashion

Model

Create a representation or model of;
The pilots are trained in conditions simulating high-altitude flights

Model

Construct a model of;
Model an airplane

Model

Worthy of imitation;
Exemplary behavior
Model citizens

Model

A person employed to showcase products, especially clothes.
She became a model for a renowned fashion brand.

Model

A simplified representation of a system or phenomenon, with any hypotheses required to describe the system or explain the phenomenon.
The scientist developed a model to predict weather patterns.

Common Curiosities

Is model always physical?

No, a model can be an abstract representation, like a mathematical model.

Do both modal and model have roots in the word "mode"?

Yes, both modal and model derive from the Latin word "modus", meaning "measure" or "manner".

Are modals always auxiliary verbs in grammar?

In grammar, modals are typically auxiliary verbs, but the term can also relate to mode or manner outside this context.

Is modal logic a branch of philosophy?

Yes, modal logic in philosophy deals with modes of truth like necessity and possibility.

Can modal be used to describe a type of window in computing?

Yes, a modal window in computing requires user interaction before other tasks can proceed.

Can model refer to an ideal example?

Yes, a model can be an exemplar or ideal that others aspire to emulate.

In transportation, does modal refer to mode?

Yes, modal in transportation pertains to the mode, like multimodal transport involving various methods.

Is there a modal scale in music?

Indeed, modal scales in music are neither major nor minor, offering a distinct tonality.

Are all modals in grammar verbs?

In grammar, modals are auxiliary verbs like "can", "must", or "should".

Does the term model pertain to fashion?

Yes, a model can refer to a person showcasing products, especially clothing.

Do modals indicate moods in verbs?

Yes, in grammar, modals help express the mood of a verb, indicating necessity or possibility.

Can model refer to a type of behavior?

While model can mean an example to emulate, it's more about the ideal than the behavior. Behavior might follow a model or ideal.

Can model be a design or version of a product?

Absolutely, a model can denote a particular design or version of a product, such as a car.

Do modal and model have different origins?

Both modal and model derive from the Latin "modus", but their modern meanings have evolved distinctly.

Can a model be a prediction tool?

Yes, a model can be a structured representation used to make predictions, such as in science or economics.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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