modus operandi

noun

mo·​dus ope·​ran·​di ˌmō-dəs-ˌä-pə-ˈran-dē 

-ˌdī

plural modi operandi ˈmō-ˌdē- 

ˈmō-ˌdī-

: a method of procedure

the best approach … was to do things through quiet persuasion, which was his modus operandi

—James Traub

especially : a distinct pattern or method of operation that indicates or suggests the work of a single criminal in more than one crime

got her picture identified, discovered her modus operandi, and put a stakeout on her neighborhood

—Time

Examples of modus operandi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Befitting their ball-control modus operandi, the Midshipmen (7-2, 5-1 American Athletic Conference) amassed 321 rushing yards and maintained possession more than 38 minutes in a 28-7 rout Saturday at Raymond James Stadium. —Joey Knight, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Nov. 2024

Stealth has pretty much been the modus operandi for as long as rich Americans have been putting their fingers on the scale of democracy — until Musk came along. —Whizy Kim, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

The attack modus operandi involves the use of fraudulent emergency data requests, which can request information to be supplied immediately by a business while bypassing additional reviews of the request for legitimacy, courtesy of their urgent nature, in order to expose sensitive information. —Davey Winder, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024

The modus operandi was for cars to transport the drugs to within a mile of the border, where individuals would carry them into Jordan in backpacks. —Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1654, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

modus operandi

noun

mo·​dus ope·​ran·​di ˌmō-dəs-ˌä-pə-ˈran-dē, -ˌdī 

: a distinct pattern or method of operation especially that indicates or suggests the work of a single criminal in more than one crime

Etymology

New Latin, manner of operating