modeling

American  

[mod-l-ing] / ˈmɒd l ɪŋ /

especially British, modelling

noun

1. the act, art, or profession of a person who models.

2. the process of producing sculptured form with some plastic material, as clay.

3. the technique of rendering the illusion of volume on a two-dimensional surface by shading.

4. the treatment of volume, as the turning of a form, in sculpture.

5. the representation, often mathematical, of a process, concept, or operation of a system, often implemented by a computer program.

6. Also called imitation.  Psychology. therapy in which a particular behavior is elicited by the observation of similar behavior in others.

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Etymology

Origin of modeling

First recorded in 1575–85; model + -ing ¹

Explanation

Modeling involves making a representation of something. Creating a tiny, functioning volcano is an example of modeling. Teachers use modeling when they have a class election that represents a larger one, like a presidential election. Modeling is anything that represents something else, usually on a smaller scale. Military commanders use physical and computer modeling to plan offensives. Modeling is helpful because it allows you to take a good look at something that is too big or impractical to see otherwise. If a tall beautiful person tells you he has a modeling career, he’s not a miniature version of something, but he does make money being a model. Outside the US, it’s often spelled with two l’s.

Example Sentences

Many of us were raised to sneer at social influence—instructed to resist peer pressure at all costs—but there’s another term for thinking about all this that’s less off-putting: role modeling.

From Slate • May 15, 2026

If the reports are confirmed, the deal would “represent upside for Nvidia,” since most analysts aren’t currently modeling China revenue for the company into their estimates, Morningstar’s Brian Colello added.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

According to the researchers, combining long term measurements with advanced modeling is essential for understanding the small scale features hidden beneath Antarctic ice shelves.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

Pommier and her husband, Peter Diel, were living in Miami in the late 1970s when she decided to stop modeling to start her own agency.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

On his first day of work, Lefty came into the kitchen modeling his new overalls.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• design
• painting