motion

verb

motioned; motioning ˈmō-sh(ə-)niŋ 

intransitive verb

: to signal by a movement or gesture

the pitcher motioned to the catcher

transitive verb

: to direct by a motion

motioned me to the seat

Synonyms of motion

• wave
• gesture
• signal

Examples of motion in a Sentence

The guard motioned us through the gate.

She motioned to her assistant.

She motioned at the empty chair beside her and told me to sit down.

Recent Examples on the Web

The regular working-class crew heading home for the day filed onto her bus when a supervisor popped by the front door and motioned to two teen girls. —Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026

Gary Belaria said, motioning toward the parking lot. —Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026

Officers were able to observe surveillance camera recordings which showed Moskovita motioning the girl toward him, then grabbing her hand and taking her into the restroom. —Logan Smith, CBS News, 1 June 2026

The attributes and their sustainability motioned toward a dynasty. —Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 29 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing motion

• Brownian motion
• harmonic motion
• in motion
• motion capture
• motion picture
• motion sickness
• poetry in motion
• put in/into motion
• set in motion
• set the wheels in motion
• slow motion
• stop-motion

Rhymes for motion

• lotion
• notion
• ocean
• potion
• commotion
• demotion
• devotion
• emotion
• laotian
• promotion
• locomotion

Kids Definition

motion

1 of 2 noun

mo·​tion ˈmō-shən 

1

: a formal plan or suggestion for action offered according to the rules of a meeting

a motion to adjourn

2

a

: an act or process of changing place or position : movement

b

: an act or instance of moving the body or its parts : gesture

motionless

-ləs 

adjective

motionlessly adverb

motionlessness noun

motion

2 of 2 verb

motioned; motioning ˈmō-sh(ə-)niŋ 

: to direct or signal by a movement or sign

motioned me to come forward

Medical Definition

motion

noun

mo·​tion ˈmō-shən 

1

: an act, process, or instance of changing place : movement

2

a

: an evacuation of the bowels

b

: the matter evacuated

—often used in plural

blood in the motions

—Lancet

Legal Definition

motion

1 of 2 noun

mo·​tion

1

: a proposal for action

especially : a formal proposal made in a legislative assembly

made a motion to refer the bill to committee

2

a

: an application made to a court or judge to obtain an order, ruling, or direction

a motion to arrest judgment

also : a document containing such an application

b

: the initiative of a court to issue an order, ruling, or direction

the court is given discretion to order a pretrial conference either on its own motion or at the request of a party

—J. H. Friedenthal et al.

— motion for a more definite statement

: a motion that is filed before an answer and that requests the court to order the plaintiff to clarify allegations in the complaint because the claims are so vague or ambiguous that an answer cannot reasonably be framed

— motion for judgment on the pleadings

: a motion made after pleadings have been entered that requests the court to issue a judgment at that point compare summary judgment at judgment sense 1a

Note: Under Rule 12(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, if matters outside of the pleadings are presented to the court when a motion for judgment on the pleadings is made, the motion will be treated as a motion for summary judgment.

— motion in limine \ -​in-​ˈli-​mə-​nē \

: a usually pretrial motion that requests the court to issue an interlocutory order which prevents an opposing party from introducing or referring to potentially irrelevant, prejudicial, or otherwise generally inadmissible evidence until the court has finally ruled on its admissibility

— motion to strike

: a motion in a civil trial to remove from a pleading an insufficient defense or any redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter

: a motion in a criminal trial to exclude evidence from the record

— motion to suppress

: a pretrial motion requesting the court to exclude evidence that was obtained illegally and especially in violation of Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment protections

— omnibus motion \ ˈäm-​ni-​bəs-​ \

: a motion that makes multiple requests

filing an omnibus motion to dismiss and for a more definite statement

—Department of Ins. of Florida v. Coopers & Lybrand, 570 So. 2d 369 (1990)

motion

2 of 2 verb

: move

motioned for a summary judgment

Etymology

Anglo-French, from Latin motion-, motio movement, from movēre to move