motive

¹

[ moh-tiv ]

noun

1. something that causes a person to act in a certain way, do a certain thing, etc.; incentive.

   Synonyms: cause, ground, occasion, influence, spur, stimulus, incitement, motivation

2. the goal or object of a person's actions:

   Her motive was revenge.

3. (in art, literature, and music) a motif.

adjective

1. causing, or tending to cause, motion.
2. pertaining to motion.
3. prompting to action.
4. constituting a motive or motives.

verb (used with object)

, mo·tived, mo·tiv·ing.

1. to motivate.

-motive

²

1. a combining form of motive:

   automotive.

motive

/ ˈməʊtɪv /

noun

1. the reason for a certain course of action, whether conscious or unconscious
2. a variant of motif

adjective

1. of or causing motion or action

   a motive force

2. of or acting as a motive; motivating

verb

1. to motivate

Derived Forms

• ˈmotivelessness, noun
• ˈmotivelessly, adverb
• ˈmotiveless, adjective

Other Words From

• motive·less adjective
• motive·less·ly adverb
• motive·less·ness noun
• well-motived adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of motive¹

First recorded in 1325–75; (for the adjective) Middle English, from Middle French motif, from Medieval Latin mōtīvus “serving to move,” from Latin mōt(us) “moved” (past participle of movēre “to move”; move ) + -īvus -ive; noun derivative of the adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of motive¹

C14: from Old French motif, from Late Latin mōtīvus (adj) moving, from Latin mōtus, past participle of movēre to move

Synonym Study

Motive, incentive, inducement apply to whatever moves one to action. Motive is, literally, something that moves a person; an inducement, something that leads a person on; an incentive, something that inspires a person. Motive is applied mainly to an inner urge that moves or prompts a person to action, though it may also apply to a contemplated result, the desire for which moves the person: His motive was a wish to be helpful. Inducement is never applied to an inner urge, and seldom to a goal: The pleasure of wielding authority may be an inducement to get ahead. It is used mainly of opportunities offered by the acceptance of certain conditions, whether these are offered by a second person or by the factors of the situation: The salary offered me was a great inducement. Incentive was once used of anything inspiring or stimulating the emotions or imagination: incentives to piety; it has retained of this its emotional connotations, but (rather like inducement ) is today applied only to something offered as a reward, and offered particularly to stimulate competitive activity: to create incentives for higher achievement. See reason.

Example Sentences

The note did not describe a clear motive, the source said, but indicated a desire to cause harm and included claims that the man had “killed before.”

From Los Angeles Times

The motive behind the attack is unclear.

From BBC

In an aging nation with 7 million people already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, we need these drugs, badly, but there’s no denying that profit lurks in the background as a motive here as well.

From Los Angeles Times

In a statement, NCA deputy director Craig Turner said the gang's "sole motive was profit, and they didn't care about the fate of migrants they were putting to sea in wholly inappropriate and dangerous boats".

From BBC

The exact motive for the murder was not clear but at the time of the arrests the police had said it was robbery.

From BBC

Related Words

• aim
• cause
• consideration
• emotion
• feeling
• idea
• impulse
• influence
• intent
• intention
• motivation
• passion
• rationale