# modulation
## English
### Etymology

From Late Middle English modulacion, modulacioun (“act of making music or singing; harmony; melody, song”), from Middle French modulation (modern French modulation), and directly from its etymon Latin modulātiō (“regular or rhythmical measure, modulation; inflection of tone; (architecture) calculation of measurements from a standard unit; (Late Latin) act of making music or singing; melody, song”), from modulātus (“modulated”) + -iō (suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs). Modulātus is a perfect participle of modulor (“to beat time; to make music or sing; to measure; etc.”), from modulus (“rhythmical measure, interval; rhythm; small interval or measure, etc.”) + -or (suffix forming certain inflections of verbs); and modulus is from modus (“measure; method; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to measure; etc.”)) + -ulus (diminutive suffix). By surface analysis, modulat(e) +‎ -ion (suffix denoting an action or process, or its result).

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˌmɒdjʊˈleɪʃn̩/, /-d͡ʒʊ-/
* (General American) IPA: /ˌmɑd͡ʒəˈleɪʃən/
* Audio (General American):(file)
* Rhymes: -eɪʃən
* Hyphenation: mod‧ul‧at‧ion

### Noun

modulation (countable and uncountable, plural modulations)
* (uncountable) Modification or regulation of something to achieve an appropriate measure or proportion; (countable) an instance of this.
** 1531, Thomas Elyot, “Of the Firste Begynnyng of Daunsing and the Old Estimation therof”, in The Boke Named the Governour […], London: […] Tho[mas] Bertheleti, →OCLC, 1st boke, folio 79, verso:More ouer the emperours that were moſte noble⸝ delited in daunſyng⸝ perceyuing ther in to be a perfecte meaſure⸝ which maye be called modulation: wherin ſome daunſers of olde tyme ſo wonderfully excelled⸝ that they wolde plainly expreſſe in daunſynge⸝ without any wordes or dittie⸝ hiſtories with the hole circumſtaunce of affaires⸝ in them cõtayned: […]Referring to rhythmic movement which has been carefully measured.
** 1695, John Woodward, “Part IV. Of the Origin and Formation of Metalls and Minerals.”, in An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth: And Terrestrial Bodies, Especially Minerals: […], London: […] Ric[hard] Wilkin […], →OCLC, page 176:Theſe [minerals] have not yet been vvell reduced, or the number of the ſimple original ones rightly fixt; ſome, vvhich are only Compounds, the Matter of tvvo or more kinds being mix'd together, and, by the different Proportion and Modulation of that Matter, variouſly diſguiſed and diverſifyed, having been reputed all different kinds of Minerals, and thereby the Number of them unneceſſarily multiplied.
** 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Walter Goes Away”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 189:There was a touching modulation in these words about her father that Walter understood too well.
** (art, uncountable) Variation (especially softening or toning down) of brightness, form, etc.; (countable) an instance of this.
*** 1753, William Hogarth, “Of Light and Shade, and the Manner in which Objects are Explained to the Eye by Them”, in The Analysis of Beauty. […], London: […] J[ohn] Reeves for the author, […], →OCLC, page 95:[…] I ſhall endeavour to point out and regularly deſcribe a certain order and arrangement in their [shades or shadows'] appearance, in vvhich order vve may conceive different kinds of ſoftnings and modulations of the rays of light vvhich are ſaid to fall upon the eye from every object it ſees, and to cauſe thoſe more or leſs-pleaſing vibrations of the optic nerves, vvhich ſerve to inform the mind concerning every different ſhape or figure that preſents itſelf.
** (biology, uncountable) Variation in the activity or form of a cell in response to changes in the environment; (countable) an instance of this.
** (engineering, physics, uncountable) Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: modification of an electromagnetic wave or other oscillating carrier wave to apply a signal to it; (countable) an instance of this; also, the extent to which such a wave is modified; and the modified wave or signal.
*** 2022, Elizabeth Rubio, “Transmitting and Receiving Radio Waves”, in Understanding and Using Radio Waves (The Electromagnetic Spectrum), New York, N.Y.: Enslow Publishing, →ISBN, page 22:Modulation is the process in which information is encoded in radio signals. Modulation describes changing an aspect of the wave. There are two main types of radio modulation: amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM). […] In amplitude modulation the height (amplitude) of the wave is changed. In frequency modulation, the number of waves that pass a given point in a second is changed.
** (music)
*** (uncountable) Variation of the intensity, pitch, and tone of the sound of a musical instrument or voice; inflection; (countable) an instance of this.
**** 1646, Thomas Browne, “Of the Wish of Philoxenus [of Leucas]”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 7th book, page 368:[A]lthough the vveazon, throtle and tongue [of birds] be the inſtruments of voice, and by their agitations doe chiefly concurre unto theſe delightfull modulations, yet cannot vve aſſigne the cauſe unto any particular formation; […]
**** 1701, Nehemiah Grew, “Of the Use of Organized Bodies”, in Cosmologia Sacra: Or A Discourse of the Universe as It is the Creature and Kingdom of God. […], London: […] W[illiam] Rogers, S[amuel] Smith, and B[enjamin] Walford: […], →OCLC, 1st book, paragraph 10, page 25:The Rings of the VVind-pipe, are fitted for the Modulation of the Voice.
**** 1797, Ann Radcliffe, chapter I, in The Italian, or The Confessional of the Black Penitents. A Romance. […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Cadell Jun. and W[illiam] Davies (successors to Mr. [Thomas] Cadell) […], →OCLC, pages 1–2:So much indeed vvas he faſcinated by the voice, that a moſt painful curioſity vvas excited as to her countenance, vvhich he fancied muſt expreſs all the ſenſibility of character that the modulation of her tones indicated.
**** 1859, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “The Preaching”, in Adam Bede […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book first, page 43:Hitherto the traveller had been chained to the spot against his will by the charm of Dinah's mellow treble tones, which had a variety of modulation like that of a fine instrument touched with the unconscious skill of musical instinct.
*** (uncountable) Changing of the key in a piece of music; also, the effect achieved by this as an element of harmony; (countable) an instance of this.
**** 1928, Aldous Huxley, “XXII: From Philip Quarles’s Notebook”, in Point Counter Point, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 408:More interesting still the modulations, not merely from one key to another, but from mood to mood. A theme is stated, then developed, pushed out of shape, imperceptibly deformed, until, though still recognizably the same, it has become quite different.
** (typography, countable) The contrast between the thick and thin parts of the strokes of a typeface.
* (uncountable) Changing of a thing from one form to another; (countable) an instance of this.
* (obsolete)
** (uncountable) Harmonious use of language in poetry or prose.
*** 1759 June 30, [Samuel Johnson], “The Idler. No. 64.”, in The Universal Chronicle, or Weekly Gazette, volume II, number 65, London: […] R. Stevens, […], →OCLC, page 201, column 2:Then begin the arts of rhetoric and poetry, the regulation of figures, the ſelection of vvords, the modulation of periods, the graces of tranſition, the complication of cauſes, and all the delicacies of ſtyle, and ſubtilties of compoſition, uſeful vvhile they advance perſpicuity, and laudable vvhile they increaſe pleaſure, but eaſy to be refined by needleſs ſcrupuloſity till they ſhall more embarraſs the vvriter than aſſiſt the reader or delight him.
** (architecture, uncountable, rare) Modification of the parts of a classical Greek or Roman building to achieve appropriate proportions by measuring in modules (“standard units of measure, usually the diameter or radius of a column at the base of a shaft”).
*** 1665, John Webb, A Vindication of Stone-Heng Restored: […], London: […] R[alph] Davenport for Tho[mas] Bassett, […], →OCLC, page 62:About Theatres, ſaith He [Vitruvius], are Porticoes, and VValks, vvhich appear ought to be ſo placed, as they muſt be double. And have the outvvard Columns Dorick vvith Architraves, and Ornaments made from the rule of the Dorick modulation.
** (music)
*** (countable, Christianity) Any of the musical notes in ecclesiastical modes of music on which a melodic phrase had to begin and end.
*** (uncountable) Arrangement or composition, or performance, of music in a certain key or mode; also (countable) a series of musical notes, chord, or tune analyzed according to a key or mode.
*** (uncountable) Making music or singing; (countable) a melody, a tune; also (chiefly in the plural), a musical note.
**** 1625 January 4 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), John Donne, “Sermon II. Preached in the Evening of Christmas-Day, 1624.”, in Henry Alford, editor, The Works of John Donne, D.D., […], volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 23:I will sing of thy mercy and judgment, says David; when we fix ourselves upon the meditation and modulation of the mercy of God, even his judgments cannot put us out of tune, but we shall sing and be cheerful even in them.
**** 1728, [James] Thomson, Spring. A Poem, […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], and G[eorge] Strahan, […], →OCLC, pages 30–31:Join'd to Theſe [birds], / Thouſands beſide, thick as the covering Leaves / VVhich ſpeck them o'er, their Modulations mix / Mellifluous.
**** 1815 (date written), [Thomas Love Peacock], chapter XI, in Headlong Hall, London: […] [S. Gosnell] for T[homas] Hookham, Jun. and Co. […], published 1816, →OCLC, pages 146–147:Sleep during this interval was out of the question: […] the songs of Hoel and Cyveilioc, to ring to the profaner but more lively modulation of Voulez vous danser, Mademoiselle? [Do you want to dance, miss?] in conjunction with the symphonious scraping of fiddles, the tinkling of triangles, and the beating of tambourines.

#### Derived terms

* amplitude modulation
* biomodulation
* chemomodulation
* chronomodulation
* comodulation
* cross-modulation
* demodulation
* downmodulation
* dysmodulation
* frequency modulation
* immunomodulation
* intermodulation
* mechanomodulation
* metamodulation
* modulational
* modulationally
* neuromodulation
* oncomodulation
* overmodulation
* paramodulation
* pharmacomodulation
* phase modulation
* photomodulation
* pulse modulation
* quadrature amplitude modulation
* radiomodulation
* remodulation
* ring modulation
* single-sideband modulation
* spectromodulation
* supermodulation
* thermomodulation
* transmodulation
* undermodulation
* upmodulation
* vasomodulation

#### Related terms

* modulate
* modulator

#### Translations
### References

* ↑ “modulāciǒun, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
* ↑ “modulation, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2024; “modulation, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

### Further reading

* modulation on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
* modulation (music) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
* modulation (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

## Danish
### Noun

modulation c (singular definite modulationen, plural indefinite modulationer)
* modulation
* inflection (change in pitch or tone of voice)

#### Synonyms

* modulering c

## French
### Etymology

From Middle French modulation, a learned borrowing from Latin modulātiō. By surface analysis, moduler +‎ -ation.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /mɔ.dy.la.sjɔ̃/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

modulation f (plural modulations)
* modulation
* (music) modulation (change in key)

#### Derived terms

* modulation de fréquence

### Further reading

* “modulation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.