Dictionary Definition

modality

1 a classification of propositions on the basis of whether they claim necessity or possibility or impossibility [syn: mode]

2 verb inflections that express how the action or state is conceived by the speaker [syn: mood, mode]

3 a particular sense [syn: sense modality, sensory system]

4 a method of therapy that involves physical or electrical therapeutic treatment

User Contributed Dictionary

the state of being modal
the classification of propositions on the basis on whether they claim possibility, impossibility, contingency or necessity; mode
the inflection of a verb that shows how its action is conceived by the speaker; mood
any method of therapy that involves therapeutic treatment
any of the senses (such as sight or taste)
a particular way in which the information is to be encoded for presentation to humans, i.e. to the type of sign and to the status of reality ascribed to or claimed by a sign, text or genre
the organization and structure of the church, as distinct from sodality or parachurch organizations
the subject concerning certain diatonic scales known as musical modes
a concept in Anthony Giddens structuration theory

state of being modal

classification of propositions; mode

Modality can refer to:

Humanities:

The basis of legal argumentation in United States constitutional law.
Modality (theology), the organization and structure of the church, as distinct from sodality or parachurch organizations.
In music, the subject concerning certain diatonic scales known as musical modes (e.g., Ionian).
In sociology, modality is a concept in Anthony Giddens structuration theory.

Linguistics:

Modality (semiotics), the types of sign and the extent to which any set of signs is real or unreal.
Linguistic modality, the subject concerning so-called modal auxiliary verbs like can, must, and should, that are customarily used to modify the meaning of other verbs, to express possibility (and impossibility, necessity, contingency, etc.), permissibility (and obligation, proscription, etc.), probability (and improbability, etc.). A distinction can be made with grammatical mood.

Medicine:

Sensory modality, a type of physical phenomenon that can be sensed, such as temperature and sound
In cognitive neuroscience, a condition in which the stimulation of one sensory modality gives rise to an experience in another modality.
In psychotherapy, a method of therapeutic approach.
In medical imaging, any of the various types of equipment or probes used to acquire images of the body, such as radiography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

Science and Technology:

Transportation modality
modal logic, a form of logic which distinguishes between (logically) "necessary truths" and "contingent truths". Related topics are possibility, impossibility, actuality, and related predicates.
modality (human-computer interaction), a path of communication between the human and the computer, such as vision or touch.
In computer science and particularly computer vision, the type of input. That is, black-and-white, color and infrared are three different modalities for the acquisition of an image.

Other uses:

In advance fee fraud (Nigerian 419 Scams), the method of funds transfers. Often used as a key word in scam baiting.