Etymology: Middle English moede, from Latin modus measure, manner, musical mode — more at mete
Date: 14th century
1 a: an arrangement of the eight diatonic notes or tones of an octave according to one of several fixed schemes of their intervals b: a rhythmical scheme (as in 13th and 14th century music) 2:2mood 2 3[Late Latin modus, from Latin]a:2mood 1 b: the modal form of the assertion or denial of a logical proposition 4 a: a particular form or variety of something <flying and other modes of transport>b: a form or manner of expression :style 5: a possible, customary, or preferred way of doing something <explained in the usual solemn mode> 6 a: a manifestation, form, or arrangement of being; specifically: a particular form or manifestation of an underlying substance b: a particular functioning arrangement or condition :status<a computer operating in parallel mode> 7 a: the most frequent value of a set of data b: a value of a random variable for which a function of probabilities defined on it achieves a relative maximum 8: any of various stationary vibration patterns of which an elastic body or oscillatory system is capable <the vibration mode of an airplane propeller blade><the vibrational modes of a molecule>