Word Games Pro Dictionary

motive

adjective noun

impelling to action

Quick reference

Word Facts

Word length
6
Starts with
M
Ends with
E
Contains
OT
Scrabble score
11
CEFR level
B1

How it sounds

Pronunciation

ˈməʊtɪv

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Audio Pronunciation

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Meaning

Definitions

adjective

  1. impelling to action

    “{'source': 'Arthur Pap', 'text': 'it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function'}”

adjective

  1. causing or able to cause motion

    “a motive force”

noun

  1. the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior

    “we did not understand his motivation”

noun

  1. a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration

noun

  1. a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music

In context

Example Sentences

{'source': 'Arthur Pap', 'text': 'it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function'}
motive pleas
motivating arguments
a motive force
motive power
motor energy
we did not understand his motivation
he acted with the best of motives

Similar words

Synonyms

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