Definitions for motifmoʊˈtif

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

mo•tifmoʊˈtif(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.

Origin of motif:

1840–50; < F; see motive

Princeton's WordNet

  1. motif, motive(noun)

    a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration

  2. motif, motive(noun)

    a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music

  3. theme, motif(noun)

    a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work

    "it was the usual `boy gets girl' theme"

Wiktionary

  1. motif(Noun)

    A recurring or dominant element; a theme.

    See how the artist repeats the scroll motif throughout the work?

  2. motif(Noun)

    A short melodic passage that is repeated in several parts of a work

  3. motif(Noun)

    A decorative figure that is repeated in a design

  4. motif(Noun)

    The physical object or objects repeated at each point of a lattice. Usually atoms or molecules.

  5. Origin: From French motif (1848), with the meaning of main idea or theme

Webster Dictionary

  1. Motif(noun)

    motive


Translations for motif

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

pattern(noun)

a repeated decoration or design on material etc

The dress is nice but I don't like the pattern.

Get even more translations for motif »


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