Ma'anar ƙamus na "modus operandi" shine kalmar Latin don "yanayin aiki" ko "hanyar aiki." Yana nufin hanyar da mutum ko ƙungiya ke yawan ɗabi'a ko aiki don cimma wata manufa ko sakamako. A cikin binciken laifuka, ana amfani da kalmar "modus operandi" don bayyana halayen halayen da wani mai laifi ko ƙungiyar masu laifi ke nunawa yayin aikata laifi.
