motive

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈmoʊtɪv/ UK /ˈməʊtɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #3298

Meanings

1

noun
A reason that makes someone want to do something.

At first they seemed kind, but their motives were not entirely honest.
2

noun
The reason why someone commits a crime.

The police could not find a motive for the murder.
3

adj
Causing or able to cause movement.

Steam was the main motive power of early trains.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a reason that makes someone... motivation reason

3 adj · causing or able to cause... kinetic

Word family

Forms motivedmotives

Derived forms automotiveby-motivecytomotiveelectromotivemagnetomotivemotivelessmotivenessmotivitymotivologynonmotivepedomotiveprotonmotive

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

rational motive
a reason for acting that can be supported by logical argument

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English motif, from Anglo-Norman motif, Middle French motif, and their source, Late Latin motivum (“motive, moving cause”), neuter of motivus.

*m(y)ewh₁- Proto-Indo-European motif Middle English motivum la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# motive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈmoʊtɪv/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈməʊtɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 3298

## Meanings
1. A reason that makes someone want to do something.
2. The reason why someone commits a crime.
3. Causing or able to cause movement.

## Examples
- At first they seemed kind, but their motives were not entirely honest.
- The police could not find a motive for the murder.
- Steam was the main motive power of early trains.

## Derived Forms
- automotive
- by-motive
- cytomotive
- electromotive
- magnetomotive
- motiveless
- motiveness
- motivity
- motivology
- nonmotive
- pedomotive
- protonmotive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *m(y)ewh₁-
- Root: motif
- Root: motivum

## Etymology
From Middle English motif, from Anglo-Norman motif, Middle French motif, and their source, Late Latin motivum (“motive, moving cause”), neuter of motivus.

## AI Etymology
Motive comes from Middle English motif, from Anglo-Norman motif, Middle French motif, and their source, Late Latin motivum (“motive, moving cause”), neuter of motivus. In present-day English its meanings include a reason that makes someone want to do something, the reason why someone commits a crime, and causing or able to cause movement. The historical chain runs through *m(y)ewh₁- (Proto-Indo-European), motif (Middle English), motif (Anglo-Norman), motif (Middle French), and motivum (Late Latin). Related and derived forms include automotive, by-motive, and cytomotive.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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