mod

¹ American  

[mod] / mɒd /

adjective

1. very modern; up-to-date; being in the vanguard in style, dress, etc.

2. Sometimes Mod of or relating to a style of dress of the 1960s, typified by miniskirts, bell-bottom trousers, boots, and bright colors and patterns.

---

noun

1. a person who is in the vanguard in style, dress, etc.

2. Sometimes Mod a British teenager of the 1960s who affected a very neat, sophisticated appearance and wore fancy clothing inspired by Edwardian dress.

mod ² American  

[mod] / mɒd /

noun

1. an act or instance of modifying; modification.

---

verb (used with object)

modded, modding

1. to modify, especially a vehicle or mechanical part.

   The car was modded for speed and power.

2. Computers.

   1. to rewrite programming code in (a video game) in order to change the appearance or performance of the software.

      I modded the game to increase the field of vision.

   2. to modify (computer hardware), especially the physical appearance of the case.

      I want to mod my PC to include LED lights and custom paint.

mod ³ American  

[mod] / mɒd /

noun

Informal.

1. the moderator of an online message board.

   Notify a mod immediately if another member is harassing you.

---

Mod ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. modal auxiliary.

2. modifier.

---

mod. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. moderate.

2. Music. moderato.

3. modern.

---

mod ¹ British  

/ mɒd /

noun

1. 1. a member of a group of teenagers in the mid-1960s, noted for their clothes-consciousness and opposition to the rockers

   2. a member of a revived group of this type in the late 1970s and early 1980s, noted for their clothes-consciousness and opposition to the skinheads

   3. ( as modifier )

      a mod haircut

---

mod. ² British  

abbreviation

1. moderate

2. moderato

3. modern

---

MOD ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Ministry of Defence

---

mod ⁴ British  

/ mɒd /

noun

1. an annual Highland Gaelic meeting with musical and literary competitions

---

mod ⁵ British  

/ mɒd /

abbreviation

1. modulus

---

Etymology

Origin of mod¹

First recorded in 1955–60; by shortening of modern

Origin of mod²

First recorded in 1940–45; by shortening

Origin of mod³

By shortening

Explanation

Something that's stylish or cutting-edge can be called mod. Your mod haircut and outfit might make you feel like the most fashionable person in your neighborhood. Just don't leave your hood. Mod is informal slang for modern, and the two words can be used interchangeably. You can also use mod to talk about the specific 1960s subculture of young jazz and soul fans and motor scooter enthusiasts. Young men and women who dressed in stylish, sophisticated suits and mini skirts, who favored Italian scooters and danced at clubs to R & B music were called mods, originally in contrast to the grungier "rockers."

Example Sentences

The trophy features many nods from the 60-year-old musician, including a hand-drawn “cresting wave” illustration and an arrow and mod symbol — an allusion to Vedder’s tribute to the Who on his personal guitar.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025

The r/FreeLuigi mod suggested that this was to placate advertisers, since Reddit is now suffused with customized ads whose vendors would prefer not to be seen as endorsing contentious topics.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2025

The mod she had in mind was eventually dubbed “African Dawn.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2025

Her 200-year-old home has no running water, no central heating, no fridge, nor any of the other mod cons most people would consider essential.

From BBC • Feb. 9, 2025

Lucy reached into a rack and pulled out a mod jumper and said, “Get this,” and shoved it at Big Ma until she had no choice but to take it.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Related Words

• fashionable
• stylish