modal verbnoun [ C ]
us/ˈmoʊ·dəl ˈvɜrb/also modal auxiliary, /ˈmoʊ·dəl ɔɡˈzɪl·jər·i/grammar a verb used with another verb to express an idea such as possibility that is not expressed by the main verb:
The modal verbs in English are "can," "could," "may," "might," "must," "ought," "shall," "should," "will," and "would."