double modals

A form of double modal — A sequence of two modal verbs, such as "might could", an impossible construction in standard English, but one used in some dialects, especially Southern US English.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of double modal
Cite this entry
APA

double modals. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double%20modals

MLA

“double modals.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double%20modals. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “double modals,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/double%20modals.

Source: double modals on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.