unimodal
|u-ni-mo-dal|
🇺🇸
/ˌjuːnɪˈmoʊdəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌjuːnɪˈməʊdəl/
single peak / one mode
Etymology
'unimodal' originates from Latin-derived elements: the prefix 'uni-' from Latin 'unus' meaning 'one', combined with 'modal' from 'mode' ultimately from Latin 'modus' meaning 'measure' or 'manner'.
'unimodal' formed in modern English by joining 'uni-' + 'modal' (where 'modal' comes from Old French/'mode' and Latin 'modus'); the term gained technical use in statistics and related fields in the 20th century.
Initially constructed to mean 'one mode' in a literal morphological sense; over time it became established as a technical adjective meaning 'having a single peak' or 'using a single modality'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having a single mode or peak; (of a probability distribution) characterized by one local maximum.
The histogram is unimodal, with one clear peak near the center.
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Adjective 2
relating to or using a single mode, channel, or modality (e.g., a unimodal interface uses only one sensory channel).
The platform offers a unimodal experience focused exclusively on text-based communication.
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Last updated: 2025/11/21 04:52