What Does the Word Modalities Mean?

Depending on the context in which it appears, "modalities" can denote widely differing things. Yet some of its denotations reflect a shared feature that conveys a common core meaning.

Form Versus Substance

• Military modalities might include jet fighters (forms) to achieve air superiority (substance).

  "Modalities" is the plural of "modality," which can refer to the quality of being modal, according to "Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Ed." "Modal" refers to form or structure as opposed to substance.

Biological Meaning

• Hearing is the modality by which the brain perceives sounds.

  A modality can also be an avenue of sensation, such as vision, states "Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary." In this sense, modalities enable the brain to obtain information about the external world.

Healthcare Meaning

• A treatment modality might rely heavily on pharmaceutical drugs.

  A modality can also be a method of application or the employment of any therapeutic agent, states "Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 19th Ed." One modality for treating high blood pressure might stress diet and exercise whereas another might rely more on pharmaceutical drugs.

Core Meaning

• These definitions hint at a common primary feature; they all allude to forms or means by which to achieve something. The modality of sight, for example, is the means by which the brain obtains visual information, just as a treatment modality is the means employed to remedy a certain medical condition.