modus

/ˈməʊdəs/

//ˈməʊdəs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"modus" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“modus” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #31,659. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#31,659
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The arrangement of, or mode of expressing, the terms of a contract or conveyance.

Corpus desk

Index EN-modus · modus · English

modus · rank #31,659 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #31,659
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH MMS

Nearest frequency peer: MMS (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “modus”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “modus” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

modus vs MoS
20% similar
modus vs mou
60% similar
modus vs moss
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for modus
PropertyValue
Headwordmodus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈməʊdəs/
Letters5
Frequency rank#31,659
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “modus”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).moduslands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “MMS” (#31,658), “Monsignor” (#31,660), “miz” (#31,657). Among 4,057 “M” headwords, “modus” is #31,659. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around modus (IPA /ˈməʊdəs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #31,659 among 4,057 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for modus, with forms such as "mdous", "mmodus", and "moddus". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "MoS", "mou", "moss", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Learned borrowing from Latin modus (“measure, manner, mood”). Doublet of mode. The correct English form is modus, spelled M-O-D-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The arrangement of, or mode of expressing, the terms of a contract or conveyance.
  2. 2
    A qualification involving the idea of variation or departure from some general rule or form, in the way of either restriction or enlargement, according to the circumstances of the case, as in the will of a donor, an agreement between parties, etc.
  3. 3
    A fixed compensation or equivalent given instead of payment of tithes in kind, expressed in full by the phrase modus decimandi.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how modus appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. To make a good and sufficient modus, the following rules must be observed
  2. When, instead either of a certain portion of the produce of land, or of the price of a certain portion, a certain sum of money is to be paid in full compensation for all tax or tythe; the tax becomes, in this case, exactly of the same nature with the land tax of England. It neither rises nor falls with the rent of the land. It neither encourages nor disco…

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin modus (“measure, manner, mood”). Doublet of mode.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • mdous
  • mmodus
  • moddus
  • modsu
  • moduss
  • mouds
  • omdus

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of modus - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

mdous2mmodus1moddus1modsu2moduss1mouds2omdus2
Edit distance from "modus"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "modus"?
"modus" is spelled M-O-D-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈməʊdəs/.
What does "modus" mean?
As a noun, "modus" means: The arrangement of, or mode of expressing, the terms of a contract or conveyance.
What words are commonly confused with "modus"?
"modus" is commonly confused with "MoS", "mou", "moss". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "modus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "modus" is /ˈməʊdəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "modus"?
Learned borrowing from Latin modus (“measure, manner, mood”). Doublet of mode. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "modus", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

ooooh#31,679lifes#31,638libra#31,636Leona#31,635

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

milieu7 variantslayup7 variantsOsman7 variantsLayla7 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list