motif

recurring theme, subject, or idea: the motif of the song

Not to be confused with:

motive – motivation; ground; cause; reason: Her motive was questionable.

mo·tif

(mō-tēf′)

a. A recurrent thematic element in an artistic or literary work.

b. A dominant theme or central idea.

2. Music A short rhythmic or melodic passage that is repeated or evoked in various parts of a composition.

3. A repeated figure or design in architecture or decoration. See Synonyms at figure.

4. A recurrent pattern either of molecular sequence, usually of nucleotides or amino acids in proteins, or of molecular structure that usually corresponds to specific biological activity.

[French, from Old French, motive; see motive.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

motif

(məʊˈtiːf)

1. (Music, other) a distinctive idea, esp a theme elaborated on in a piece of music, literature, etc

2. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) a distinctive idea, esp a theme elaborated on in a piece of music, literature, etc

3. (Art Terms) Also: motive a recurring form or shape in a design or pattern

4. (Clothing & Fashion) a single added piece of decoration, such as a symbol or name on a jumper, sweatshirt, etc

[C19: from French. See motive]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mo•tif

(moʊˈtif)

n.

1. a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., esp. in a literary, artistic, or musical work.

2. a distinctive and recurring form, shape, figure, etc., in a design.

[1840–50; < French; see motive]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	motif - a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration motive pattern, design, figure - a decorative or artistic work; "the coach had a design on the doors"
	2.	motif - a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music motive melodic theme, musical theme, theme, idea - (music) melodic subject of a musical composition; "the theme is announced in the first measures"; "the accompanist picked up the idea and elaborated it" obbligato, obligato - a persistent but subordinate motif
	3.	motif - a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work; "it was the usual `boy gets girl' theme" theme idea, thought - the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about; "it was not a good idea"; "the thought never entered my mind" topos - a traditional theme or motif or literary convention; "James Joyce uses the topos of the Wandering Jew in his Ulysses"

motif

noun

1. design, form, shape, decoration, ornament wallpaper with a rose motif

2. theme, idea, subject, concept, leitmotif the motif of magical apples in fairytales

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

motif

noun

An element or a component in a decorative composition:

design, device, figure, motive, pattern.

Translations

μοτίβο

motif

motivo tema

motif

[məʊˈtiːf] N (Art, Mus) → motivo m; [of speech etc] → tema m (Sew) → adorno m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

motif

[məʊˈtiːf] n → motif m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

motif

n (Art, Mus) → Motiv nt; (Sew) → Muster nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

motif

[məʊˈtiːf] n → motivo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

I admit that I was absorbed by the distant view, so absorbed that I didn't notice then that the motif of the story is almost identical with the motif of "The Lagoon." However, the idea at the back is very different; but the story is mainly made memorable to me by the fact that it was my first contribution to "Blackwood's Magazine" and that it led to my personal acquaintance with Mr.

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All his past was the VENUSBURG motif, while her he identified somehow with the PILGRIM'S CHORUS motif; and from the exalted state this elevated him to, he swept onward and upward into that vast shadow-realm of spirit-groping, where good and evil war eternally.

View in context

With three months of liberty I ought to make a start, though--if I could only get the necessary motif for it--the SOUL of the book."

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And I have noticed another thing: that as the short tale grows into the long tale, the original intention (or motif) is apt to get abolished and find itself superseded by a quite different one.

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She's really MacConnell's poetic motif, you see; makes the whole thing a fairy tale."

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The highlights in this part of the work are cleverly managed, the MOTIF is admirably subordinated to the ground tints, and the technique is very fine.

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As a motif, in song and story, it constantly crops up.

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Hercules made this change in support of Motif Bio managing its cash position to advance its pipeline expansion strategy and prepare for the upcoming meeting with the U.S.

MOTIF BIO AND HERCULES CAPITAL AMEND LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

Motif said that Hercules made this change to help Motif Bio manage its cash position, as it advances its pipeline expansion strategy and prepares for an upcoming meeting with the US Food & Drug Administration.

Motif Bio Delays Next Amortisation Date Of Hercules Loan Facility

READ Motif Bio to meet US regulator on September 19 to discuss trial design

Motif Bio's lender postpone's loan amortisation date by one month

To reanalyze motif sequences, Lambert developed new software which looks for structural similarities between the TFs' DNA binding regions that relate to their ability to bind the same or different DNA motifs.

Genes Could Hold Key to How Humans Evolved

Speaking on why the annual praise concert was instituted, the Cheif Executive Officer of Motif Funland Amusement Park, Iworoko Ekiti, Pastor (Mrs) Funmilola Aina, explained that God had instructed that in all situations we should praise him, saying 'the more you thank the Lord, the more His blessings of the Lord will flow to you..

Praise: Way To Gain Quick Access To God -Cleric