modus operandi

Definition

A person or thing's normal mode of operation.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin modus operandī, from modus (“manner, method”) and operandī (“of working”).

Example Sentences

• "Failing that, if contact was absolutely necessary, a series of thumb jabs to the nerve cluster at the base of the neck would be his chosen modus operandi—quiet as a whisper."
• "Where is it? What does SCP-3125 look like? Its motivation, its origins, its modus operandi— how much of that can be known? Does it have to be known, to solve the problem? Does it matter how intelligent the intelligence is, once it's inside the box, once it's checkmated?"