modulating
|mod-u-lat-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈmɑːdʒə.leɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˈmɒd.jʊ.leɪt/
(modulate)
adjust intensity
Etymology
'modulate' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'modulārī' and its past participle 'modulātus', where 'modus' meant 'measure' or 'manner'.
'modulate' changed from Latin 'modulārī' / Medieval Latin 'modulatio' and entered modern English (via French or scholarly Latin usage) as 'modulate' in the 17th century.
Initially, it meant 'to sing or measure rhythmically' (related to measured tone); over time it broadened to the modern sense 'to adjust or vary (a signal, voice, or other parameter)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
present participle of 'modulate': to adjust or vary the strength, frequency, pitch, or amplitude of something (often a signal or voice) so as to control, encode, or shape it.
The technician is modulating the carrier signal to transmit the data.
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Adjective 1
acting to change, regulate, or impose modulation; having the effect of altering tone, intensity, or frequency.
A modulating envelope was applied to the synth to create a dynamic sound.
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Last updated: 2025/09/25 15:00