English dictionary



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English adjective: motive

1. motive causing or able to cause motion


SamplesA motive force.
Motive power.
Motor energy.


Synonymsmotor


Similarcausative


Antonymsnoncausal, noncausative

2. motive impelling to action


SamplesIt may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function.
Motive pleas.
Motivating arguments.


Synonymsmotivating, motivative


Similarcausative


Antonymsnoncausal, noncausative


English noun: motive

1. motive 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


SamplesWe did not understand his motivation.
He acted with the best of motives.


Synonymsmotivation, need


Broader (hypernym)psychological feature


Narrower (hyponym)ethical motive, ethics, impulse, irrational motive, life, mental energy, morality, morals, psychic energy, rational motive, urge

2. motive (communication) a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music


Synonymsmotif


Broader (hypernym)idea, melodic theme, musical theme, theme


Narrower (hyponym)obbligato, obligato

3. motive (artifact) a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration


Synonymsmotif


Broader (hypernym)design, figure, pattern









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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