# modus operandi

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈməʊ.dʌs ɒp.ə.ˌɹæn.daɪ/

## Definitions
1. A person or thing's normal mode of operation.
2. A known criminal's established habits and mode of work when committing specific offences, especially fraud, matched with characteristics of an unsolved crime to narrow down (limit to a specific list) or profile suspects.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin modus operandī, from modus (“manner, method”) and operandī (“of working”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/modus-operandi