Modus operandi (often used in the abbreviated forms M.O. or simply Method) is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation".[1] The plural is modi operandi ("modes of operation"). The term is used in English to describe someone's habits or manner of working, the method of operating or functioning. It is often used in a criminal sense, to profile the methods employed by individuals during the execution of a crime, and may also be used in offender profiling,[2] where it can also be used to find clues to the perpetrator's psychology.[3] It largely consists of the methods used to execute the crime, prevent detection, and facilitate escape.[1]