modulate
verbUK /ˈmɒd͡ʒɪleɪt/ · US /ˈmɑ.d͡ʒəˌleɪt/
Etymology From Latin modulor (“to measure, regulate, modulate”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from modulus (“measure”). Compare module, modulus. By surface analysis, modul(e) + -ate.
› To regulate, adjust or adapt.
1
To change the pitch, intensity or tone of one's voice or of a musical instrument.
- "Can you tell?" she asked, in a trembling but well modulated and sensual voice.1980 April 19, Andrea Loewenstein, “Random Lust”, in Gay Community News, page 10:
2
Business, Electrical engineering, Electricity, Electromagnetism, Electronics, Energy, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics To vary the amplitude, frequency or phase of a carrier wave in proportion to the amplitude etc of a source wave (such as speech or music).
3
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music To move from one key or tonality to another, especially by using a chord progression.
- Derived terms
27 terms
amplitude modulation, AM, angiomodulating, chronomodulated, comodulate, downmodulate, down-modulate, frequency modulation, FM, immunomodulate, immunomodulating, intermodulate, modulatable, modulation, modulative, modulatory, neuromodulate, nonmodulated, nonmodulating, overmodulate, phase modulation, premodulate, radiomodulated, radiomodulating, remodulate, unmodulated, upmodulate- Related terms
- demodulate, modem, modulation, modulator, module, modulus