motive
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motive
- /ˈməʊtɪv/ UK
- /ˈmoʊtɪv/ US
Rhymes with (Received Pronunciation) -əʊtɪv, (General American) -oʊtɪv
Where it comes from
From Middle English motif, from Anglo-Norman motif, Middle French motif, and their source, Late Latin motivum (“motive, moving cause”), neuter of motivus.
noun motives
- An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting. there's something in a woman beyond all human delight; a magnetic virtue, a charming quality, an occult and powerful motive.
-
An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action.
Many of them at first seemed kind to him, but it turned out their motives were not entirely altruistic.
Similar: motivation, sake
- Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour. What would his motive be for burning down the cottage?
- A limb or other bodily organ that can move. every joint and motive of her body
- Alternative form of motif If you listen carefully, you can hear the flutes mimicking the cello motive.
- A party, gathering, or get-together.
- One's plans for the day or night. What's the motive for tonight, lads?
verb motives · motiving · motived
-
To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.
Similar: motivate
adjective
-
Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move
a motive argument
Similar: moving, ambulatory, animate, kinetic, mobile, motile, motive, movable, vagile
- Relating to motion and/or to its cause Debussy's melody is fractional, fragmentary. But at the core all his music is melodic and melody is its main motive force.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: motivative, motivation, motivating, causative, need, motif, motor, goal, stimulus, incentive, purpose, intention, justification, occasion, drive, explanation
Translations
Every language
noun a cause to commit a crime
| Español | motivo, motivante |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 동기 donggi |
| 日本語 | 動機 dōki |
| 中文 | 動機 /动机 dòngjī |
| Português | motivo |
| Français | motif, mobile |
| Deutsch | Motiv, Beweggrund |
| Italiano | motivo, movente |
| Română | motiv, rațiune |
| Русский | моти́в motív, по́вод póvod |
| Tiếng Việt | động cơ |
| العربية | حَافِز ḥāfiz |
| עברית | מניע menía |
noun music: theme or subject
| Español | motivo |
|---|---|
| Français | thème, motif |
| Română | motiv |
| Русский | моти́в motív |
| עברית | מוֹטִיב motív |
verb to prompt or incite
| Français | motiver |
|---|
Talk about this word "motive." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/motive. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. motive. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/motive "motive." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/motive.Cite this
@misc{motive_2026,
title = {motive},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/motive},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
