mote

1 of 2

noun

: a small particle : speck entry 1
motes danced in the shafts of sunlightMargaret Kennedy

mote

2 of 2

auxiliary verb

archaic
: may, might

Examples of mote in a Sentence

Noun there's not a mote of dirt in that woman's house
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This is similar in size to the icy particles in Saturn's rings, for example, and the ice is likely frozen around motes of interplanetary dust. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 19 May 2025 Reactivate to speed back to your beacon as a mote of pure light. Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Auxiliary verb
For Bay Area band Pablo Cruise, however, the connection to the genre has been longer — and mote literal — than for most. Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 6 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for mote

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English mot, from Old English; akin to Middle Dutch & Frisian mot sand

Auxiliary verb

Middle English, from Old English mōtan to be allowed to — more at must

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Auxiliary Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mote was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mote. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

mote

noun
ˈmōt
: a small particle : speck

More from Merriam-Webster on mote

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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