modulate
English
Etymology
From Latin modulatus, past participle of modulari (“to measure, regulate, modulate”), from modulus (“measure”); see modulus. Compare module. Surface etymology: module + -ate
Verb
modulate (third-person singular simple present modulates, present participle modulating, simple past and past participle modulated)
- (transitive) To regulate, adjust or adapt
- (transitive) To change the pitch, intensity or tone of one's voice or of a musical instrument
- (transitive, electronics) to vary the amplitude, frequency or phase of a carrier wave in proportion to the amplitude etc of a source wave (such as speech or music)
- (intransitive, music) to move from one key or tonality to another, especially by using a chord progression
Derived terms
- amplitude modulation, AM
- frequency modulation, FM
- phase modulation
Related terms
- demodulate
- modem
- modulator
- module
- modulus
Translations
to regulate
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to change the pitch (transitive)
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to vary the amplitude etc.
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to move from one key to another (intransitive)
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Further reading
- modulate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- modulate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Italian
Verb
modulate
- second-person plural present indicative of modulare
- second-person plural imperative of modulare
- feminine plural of modulato
Latin
Participle
modulāte
- vocative masculine singular of modulātus
References
- modulate in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- modulate in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- modulate in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette