modulation
mod·ul·at·ion/ˌmɑd͡ʒəˈleɪʃən/noun
modulation is spelled M-O-D-U-L-A-T-I-O-N: 10 letters and 4 syllables (mod·ul·at·ion). It appears 1.9 times per million words in written English, the 19,825th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, modulation means “Modification or regulation of something to achieve an appropriate measure or proportion; (countable) an instance of this” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of modulation is modulations.
How many letters and syllables are in modulation?
| Letters | 10: M-O-D-U-L-A-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4: mod·ul·at·ion |
| In writing | 1.9 times per million words; the 19,825th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is modulation?
Modulation appears 1.9 times per million words in written English, the 19,825th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce modulation?
- UK /ˌmɒdjʊˈleɪʃn̩/
- UK /-d͡ʒʊ-/
- US /ˌmɑd͡ʒəˈleɪʃən/
Modulation has 4 syllables, split mod·ul·at·ion in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vininn126-modulation.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with modulation?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as modulation from its last stressed vowel (/eɪʃən/):
- situation
- association
- population
- administration
- operation
- organization
- application
- location
- generation
- foundation
- conversation
- investigation
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of modulation
- modulations plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does modulation mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Modification or regulation of something to achieve an appropriate measure or proportion; (countable) an instance of this.
- 2
Variation (especially softening or toning down) of brightness, form, etc.; (countable) an instance of this.
- 3
Variation in the activity or form of a cell in response to changes in the environment; (countable) an instance of this.
- 4
Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: modification of an electromagnetic wave or other oscillating carrier wave to apply a signal to it; (countable) an instance of this; also, the extent to which such a wave is modified; and the modified wave or signal.
- 5
Variation of the intensity, pitch, and tone of the sound of a musical instrument or voice; inflection; (countable) an instance of this.
- 6
Changing of the key in a piece of music; also, the effect achieved by this as an element of harmony; (countable) an instance of this.
- 7
The quality of a typeface of having contrasting, thick and thin parts of the strokes; stroke-width variation.
Garamond has much modulation, while Helvetica has very little.
- 8
Changing of a thing from one form to another; (countable) an instance of this.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Modulation in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | modulation |
| Portuguese | modulação |
| Spanish | modulación |
| German | Modulation |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does modulation come from?
From Late Middle English modulacion, modulacioun (“act of making music or singing; harmony; melody, song”), from Middle French modulation (modern French modulation), and directly from its etymon Latin modulātiō (“regular or rhythmical measure, modulation; inflection of tone; (architecture) calculation of measurements from a standard unit; (Late Latin) act of making music or singing; melody, song”), from modulātus (“modulated”) + -iō (suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).