modulation

[moj-uh-ley-shuh n, mod-yuh-] /ˌmɒdʒ əˈleɪ ʃən, ˌmɒd yə-/
noun
1.
the act of modulating.
2.
the state of being modulated.
3.
Music. transition from one key to another.
4.
Grammar.
  1. the use of a particular distribution of stress or pitch in a construction, as the use of rising pitch on here in John is here?
  2. the feature of a construction resulting from such use.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < Latin modulātiōn- (stem of modulātiō) rhythmical measure. See modulate, -ion
Examples from the web for modulation
  • All that seems to be required is a modulation of airflow through her larynx.
  • The poses allow modulation in revelation of the poet and his world.
  • Whether through modulation, as to the secondary key area, or other means.
British Dictionary definitions for modulation

modulation

/ˌmɒdjʊˈleɪʃən/
noun
1.
the act of modulating or the condition of being modulated
2.
(music) the transition from one key to another
3.
(grammar)
  1. another word for intonation (sense 1)
  2. the grammatical expression of modality
4.
(electrical engineering)
  1. the act or process of superimposing the amplitude, frequency, phase, etc, of a wave or signal onto another wave (the carrier wave) or signal or onto an electron beam See also amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, velocity modulation
  2. the variation of the modulated signal
Word Origin and History for modulation
n.

late 14c., "act of singing or making music," from Old French modulation "act of making music" (14c.), or directly from Latin modulationem (nominative modulatio) "rhythmical measure, singing and playing, melody," noun of action from past participle stem of modulari "regulate, measure off properly, measure rhythmically; play, play upon," from modulus (see module). Meaning "act of regulating according to measure or proportion" is from 1530s. Musical sense of "action of process of changing key" is first recorded 1690s.

modulation in Medicine

modulation mod·u·la·tion (mŏj'ə-lā'shən)
n.

  1. The functional and morphological fluctuation of cells in response to changing environmental conditions.

  2. The variation of a property in an electromagnetic wave or signal, such as amplitude, frequency, or phase.