Can, could, should vs. dialog boxes.
Which meaning of Modal is the original, and which one is the duplicate riding on its name? Modal (grammar) came first (the 1500s). Modal window arrived in the 1980s. The data below shows which one owns the word now.
Wikipedia pageviews since 2015
Modal (grammar)Modal window
English Wikipedia pageviews since July 2015 load here.
Duplicate's share of attention
Green line = duplicate's % · above 60 it owns the word · below 40 the original does
The case for each meaning
Sourced definitions, usage stats and quotes
Original · the 1500s
Modal (grammar)
Loading the Wikipedia definition…
12-mo pageviews—
Year over year—
Peak month—
Duplicate · the 1980s
Modal window
Loading the Wikipedia definition…
12-mo pageviews—
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More duplicated terms
Design & UX
Window · Window (computing)Wall · Wall (Facebook)Profile · User profileBreadcrumb · Breadcrumb navigationCarousel · Carousel (UI)Clipboard · Clipboard (computing)Cursor · Cursor (user interface)Desktop · Desktop (GUI)Dock · Dock (macOS)Drawer · Navigation drawerPaint · Paint (browser rendering)Pane · Pane (UI)Pin · Pin (UI)Sprite · Sprite (computer graphics)Render · Rendering (computer graphics)Ribbon · Ribbon (UI)Hamburger · Hamburger menuToast · Toast notification