Modus operandi (plural modi operandi) is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "method of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working. In English, it is often shortened to M.O.
The expression is often used in police work when discussing a crime and addressing the methods employed by the perpetrators. It is also used in criminal profiling, where it can help in finding clues to the offender's psychology. It largely consists of examining the actions used by the individual(s) to execute the crime, prevent its detection and/or facilitate escape. A suspect's modus operandi can assist in his identification, apprehension or repression, and can also be used to determine links between crimes.
Modus operandi is often used in business settings as well, to describe a firm's preferred means of doing business and interacting with other firms.
Famous quotes related to modus operandi:
“Passivity can be a provoking modus operandi;
Consider the Empire and Gandhi.”
—Ogden Nash (1902–1971)