modulation

[ moj-uh-ley-shuh n, mod-yuh- ]
/ ˌmɒdʒ əˈleɪ ʃən, ˌmɒd yə- /

noun

the act of modulating.
the state of being modulated.
Music. transition from one key to another.
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 of modulation

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin modulātiōn- (stem of modulātiō) rhythmical measure. See modulate, -ion

Example sentences from the Web for modulation

British Dictionary definitions for modulation

modulation
/ (ˌmɒdjʊˈleɪʃən) /

noun

the act of modulating or the condition of being modulated
music the transition from one key to another
grammar
  1. another word for intonation (def. 1)
  2. the grammatical expression of modality
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 beamSee also amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, velocity modulation
  2. the variation of the modulated signal

Medical definitions for modulation

modulation
[ mŏj′ə-lāshən ]

n.

The functional and morphological fluctuation of cells in response to changing environmental conditions.
The variation of a property in an electromagnetic wave or signal, such as amplitude, frequency, or phase.