motive

¹mo·tive

noun \ˈmō-tiv, 2 is also mō-ˈtēv\

Definition of MOTIVE

1

: something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act

2

: a recurrent phrase or figure that is developed through the course of a musical composition

3

: motif

— mo·tive·less \-ləs\ adjective

— mo·tive·less·ly adverb

— mo·ti·vic \mō-ˈtē-vik\ adjective

Examples of MOTIVE

1. Their motive in running away was to avoid being punished.
2. I think he's guilty of the crime. He had the motive, the means, and the opportunity.
3. She denied that her offer to help was based on selfish motives.

Origin of MOTIVE

Middle English, from Anglo-French motif, motive, from motif, adjective, moving, from Medieval Latin motivus, from Latin motus, past participle of movēre to move

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to MOTIVE

Synonyms: content, motif, matter, question, subject, theme, topic

Related Words: subject matter; talking point; count, idea, point, purpose; consideration, issue, problem; body, bulk, burden, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, fundamental, generality, gist, grist, heart, kernel, keynote, main, marrow, mass, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus, pith, pivot, purport, quick, staple, substance, sum; basis; bottom, essential, essentiality; affair, argument, debate

Near Antonyms: aside, digression, excursion, interjection, parenthesis, tangent

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Synonym Discussion of MOTIVE

motive, impulse, incentive, inducement, spur, goad mean a stimulus to action. motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act <a motive for the crime>. impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution <buying on impulse>. incentive applies to an external influence (as an expected reward) inciting to action <a bonus was offered as an incentive>. inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another <offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe>. spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor <fear was a spur to action>. goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire <thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency>.

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with MOTIVE

Abib, achieve, aggrieve, believe, bereave, cap sleeve, conceive, deceive, French leave, frost heave, Hoccleve, inweave, khedive, naive, perceive, pet peeve, plain weave, qui vive, receive, relieve, reprieve, retrieve, shirtsleeve, shore leave, sick leave, unreeve, unweave, upheave