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modulus

[ moj-uh-luhs ]
/ ˈmɒdʒ ə ləs /
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noun, plural mod·u·li [moj-uh-ahy]. /ˈmɒdʒ ə aɪ/.
Physics. a coefficient pertaining to a physical property.
Mathematics.
  1. that number by which the logarithms in one system are multiplied to yield the logarithms in another.
  2. a quantity by which two given quantities can be divided to yield the same remainders.
  3. absolute value.
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Origin of modulus

1555–65; <Latin: a unit of measure; see mode1, -ule
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use modulus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for modulus

modulus
/ (ˈmɒdjʊləs) /

noun plural -li (-ˌlaɪ)
physics a coefficient expressing a specified property of a specified substanceSee bulk modulus, modulus of rigidity, Young's modulus
maths the absolute value of a complex numberSee absolute value
maths the number by which a logarithm to one base is multiplied to give the corresponding logarithm to another base
maths an integer that can be divided exactly into the difference between two other integers7 is a modulus of 25 and 11 See also congruence (def. 2)

Word Origin for modulus

C16: from Latin, diminutive of modus measure
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for modulus

modulus
[ mŏjə-ləs ]

Plural moduli (mŏjə-lī′)
A number by which two given numbers can be divided and produce the same remainder.
The numerical length of the vector that represents a complex number. For a complex number a + bi, the modulus is the square root of (a2 + b2).
The number by which a logarithm to one base must be multiplied to obtain the corresponding logarithm to another base.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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