modal verb
noun[C]
us/ˈmoʊ·dəl ˈvɜrb/(alsomodal auxiliary,us/ˈmoʊ·dəl ɔɡˈzɪl·jər·i/)grammar
a verb used with another verb toexpressanideasuch aspossibilitythat is notexpressedby themainverb:
The modal verbs inEnglishare "can," "could," "may," "might," "must," "ought," "shall," "should," "will," and "would."