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Motive: meaning, definitions and examples

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motive

 

[ ˈmoʊtɪv ]

Noun / Adjective
Context #1 | Noun

in psychology

A reason for doing something, especially one that is hidden or not obvious.

Synonyms

incentive, purpose, reason

Examples of usage

  • She had a strong motive for helping him.
  • The police are trying to establish a motive for the crime.
Context #2 | Noun

in art and literature

The reason why a character behaves in a certain way or why events happen in a particular order in a story.

Synonyms

intention, rationale, reason

Examples of usage

  • The character's motive for committing the crime was jealousy.
  • The author's motive for writing the novel was to raise awareness about social issues.
Context #3 | Adjective

formal

Causing or being the reason for something to happen.

Synonyms

driving, inspiring, motivating

Examples of usage

  • The motive force behind the change in policy was public opinion.
  • She had a motive desire to succeed.

Translations

Translations of the word "motive" in other languages:

🇵🇹 motivo

🇮🇳 प्रेरणा

🇩🇪 Motiv

🇮🇩 motif

🇺🇦 мотив

🇵🇱 motyw

🇯🇵 動機 (どうき)

🇫🇷 motif

🇪🇸 motivo

🇹🇷 güdü

🇰🇷 동기 (동기)

🇸🇦 دافع

🇨🇿 motiv

🇸🇰 motív

🇨🇳 动机 (dòngjī)

🇸🇮 motiv

🇮🇸 hvöt

🇰🇿 мотив

🇬🇪 მოტივი

🇦🇿 motiv

🇲🇽 motivo

Word origin

The word 'motive' originated from the Latin word 'motivus', meaning 'moving' or 'impelling'. In the 14th century, it was adopted into Middle English from Old French. The concept of motive has been explored in various fields such as psychology, literature, and law, highlighting its significance in understanding human behavior and actions.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #4,455, this word represents useful upper-intermediate vocabulary. Understanding and using it will help you express more complex ideas effectively.