Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
modillion
modiolus
modish
Modred
modular
modular arithmetic
modular hold
modularized
modulate
module
modulo
modulus
modus operandi
modus vivendi
MOF
mofette
moffie
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "modulati..." in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

modulate

mod·u·late [ mójjə làyt ] (past and past participle mod·u·lat·ed, present participle mod·u·lat·ing, 3rd person present singular mod·u·lates)


verb 
Definition:
 
1. transitive verb change sound: to change the tone, pitch, or volume of sound, e.g. of a musical instrument or the human voice

2. transitive verb alter something: to make alterations in something to make it less strong, forceful, or severe

3. transitive and intransitive verb music change key: in tonal music, to change from one key to another through a harmonic progression, or change one key into another

4. transitive verb physics vary wave characteristics: to vary the frequency, amplitude, or other characteristics of a radio wave or another carrier wave in order to transmit information

[Mid-16th century. < Latin modulat-, past participle of modulari "measure, adjust to rhythm" < modulus (see modulus)]

mod·u·la·bil·i·ty [ mòjjələ bíllətee ] noun
mod·u·la·ble adjective
mod·u·la·tion [ mòjjə láysh'n ] noun
mod·u·la·tive [ mójjə làytiv ] adjective
mod·u·la·tor [ mójjə lày tər ] noun
mod·u·la·to·ry [ mójjələ tàwree ] adjective
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Shopping
© 2009 Microsoft