motive

mo·tive  (mtv)

n.

1. An emotion, desire, physiological need, or similar impulse that acts as an incitement to action.

2. (mtv, m-tv) A motif in art, literature, or music.

adj.

1. Causing or able to cause motion: motive power.

2. Impelling to action: motive pleas.

3. Of or constituting an incitement to action.

tr.v. mo·tived, mo·tiv·ing, mo·tives

To motivate.

---

[Middle English motif, motive, from Old French motif, from Late Latin mtvus, of motion, from Latin mtus, past participle of movre, to move; see meu- in Indo-European roots.]

---

motive

Noun

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

2. same as motif (sense 2)

Adjective

of or causing motion: a motive force [Late Latin motivus moving]

Thesaurus

Noun	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; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives" motivation, need psychological feature - a feature of the mental life of a living organism life - a motive for living; "pottery was his life" rational motive - a motive that can be defended by reasoning or logical argument irrational motive - a motivation that is inconsistent with reason or logic impulse, urge - an instinctive motive; "profound religious impulses" ethical motive, ethics, morals, morality - motivation based on ideas of right and wrong mental energy, psychic energy - an actuating force or factor
	2.	motive - a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music motif 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.	motive - a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration motif pattern, design, figure - a decorative or artistic work; "the coach had a design on the doors"
Adj.	1.	motive - causing or able to cause motion; "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy" motor causative - producing an effect; "poverty as a causative factor in crime"
	2.	motive - impelling to action; "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"- Arthur Pap; "motive pleas"; "motivating arguments" motivating, motivative causative - producing an effect; "poverty as a causative factor in crime"

---

motive

noun 1. reason, motivation, cause, ground(s), design, influence, purpose, object, intention, spur, incentive, inspiration, stimulus, rationale, inducement, incitement, mainspring, the why and wherefore

adjective 2. moving, driving, motivating, operative, activating, impelling

Translations

motive [ˈməutɪv] n → motivo;

from the best motives → con las mejores intenciones

---

motive [ˈməutɪv] n → motif m, mobile m

adj → moteur/trice;

from the best (of) motives → avec les meilleures intentions (du monde)

---

motive [ˈməutɪv] n → Motiv nt, Beweggrund m

adj (power, force) → Antriebs-;

from the best (of) motives → mit den besten Absichten

---

motive [ˈməutɪv] n → motivo

adj → motore/trice;

from the best motives → con le migliori intenzioni

---

motive

n motive [ˈməutiv]

something that makes a person choose to act in a particular way; a reason What was his motive for murdering the old lady? motief دافِع، حافِز мотив motiv motiv; bevæggrund das Motiv κίνητρο,ελατήριο motivo motiiv انگيزه motiivi motif מֵנִיע प्रयोजन motiv indíték motif tilefni motivo 動機 동기 motyvas, akstinas motīvs; iemesls motif beweegreden motiv, begrunnelse motyw motivo motiv повод; мотив motív nagib motiv motiv แรงจูงใจ neden, sebep, dürtü 動機 мотив, привід مقصد động cơ 动机

v motivate [-veit]

to cause to act in a particular way He was motivated by jealousy. motiveer يُحَفِّز мотивирам podnítit motivere anregen ωθώ, παρακινώ motivar ajendama تحريک کردن olla vaikuttimena pousser לְהָנִיע प्रेरित करना motivirati motivál mendorong hvetja, kveikja löngun/áhuga motivare 動機づける 동기를 부여하다, 자극하다 skatinti motivēt; rosināt bermotivasi drijven,aanzetten motivere motywować motivar a împinge, a motiva побуждать podnietiť spodbuditi motivisati motivera กระตุ้น sebep olmak, güdülemek 激發 спонукати ترغیب دینا thúc đẩy 激发

n motiˈvation

motivering إثارَه، تَشْويق، تَحْفيز، حَفْز мотивация motivace motivation die Motivierung κίνητρο, παρακίνηση motivación motivatsioon محرک motivaatio motivation מוֹטִיבַציָה, הֲנַעַה प्रेरण motivacija indok(lás), motiváció motivasi áhugi; ástæða, hvöt motivazione 動機づけ 동기 부여, 자극 motyvacija, stimulas motivācija; stimuls motivasi motivering motivasjon motywacja motivação motivaţie побуждение motivácia motivacija; utemeljitev motivacija motivering, motivation แรงบันดาลใจ motivasyon, güdülenme 促進因素 мотивація ترغیب sự thúc đẩy 促进因素