What does motto mean?
Definitions for motto
ˈmɒt oʊmot·to
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word motto.
Princeton's WordNet
motto, slogan, catchword, shibbolethnoun
a favorite saying of a sect or political group
Wiktionary
mottonoun
A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.
mottonoun
A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim.
"It was the motto of a bishop eminent for his piety and good works, ... Serve God, and be cheerful." -Addison.
Etymology: motto (a word, a saying), muttum (a mutter, a grunt).
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Mottonoun
A sentence added to a device, or prefixed to any thing written.
Etymology: motto, Italian.
It may be said to be the motto of human nature, rather to suffer than to die. Roger L'Estrange, Fables.
We ought to be meek-spirited, till we are assured of the honesty of our ancestors; for covetousness and circumvention make no good motto for a coat. Collier.
It was the motto of a bishop eminent for his piety and good works in king Charles the second’s reign, Inservi Deo & lætare, Serve God and be chearful. Joseph Addison, Freeholder.
Wikipedia
Motto
A motto (derived from the Latin muttum, 'mutter', by way of Italian motto, 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mottos (or mottoes) are usually found predominantly in written form (unlike slogans, which may also be expressed orally), and may stem from long traditions of social foundations, or from significant events, such as a civil war or a revolution. A motto may be in any language, but Latin has been widely used, especially in the Western world.
Webster Dictionary
Mottonoun
a sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievment
Mottonoun
a sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim
Etymology: [It. motto a word, a saying, L. muttum a mutter, a grunt, cf. muttire, mutire, to mutter, mumble; prob. of imitative origin. Cf. Mot a word.]
Freebase
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used in the Western world. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments. In informal ways, it can be a rule or slogan someone follows, or lives their life by.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Motto
mot′ō, n. a short sentence or phrase prefixed in anything intimating the subject of it: a phrase attached to a coat-of-arms: a paper packet containing a sweetmeat, cracker, &c., together with a scrap of paper bearing a motto—a motto-kiss:—pl. Mottoes (mot′ōz).—adj. Mott′oed. [Low L. muttum—muttīre, to mutter.]
Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
motto
In heraldry, is a word or short sentence which forms an accompaniment to a coat of arms, crest, or household badge. In modern heraldry it is customary to place the motto in an escrol either above the crest or below the shield.
Surnames Frequency by Census Records
MOTTO
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Motto is ranked #18262 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
The Motto surname appeared 1,521 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 would have the surname Motto.
88.1% or 1,340 total occurrences were White.
7.5% or 114 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
2.3% or 36 total occurrences were Black.
1% or 16 total occurrences were of two or more races.
Matched Categories
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of motto in Chaldean Numerology is: 8
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of motto in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
Examples of motto in a Sentence
Your state motto is, While I breathe, I hope, its not a joke. Were breathing, but God, we have got to have hope.
My motto is: Contented with little, yet wishing for more.
We should have a national motto that we can put up in the school without imposing religion on a captive audience of school kids, it miseducates students. We live under a godless and secular Constitution.
Now, keep in mind that the likelihood of that is pretty low, this is like the Boy Scout motto,' Be Prepared,'.
Learn taciturnity and let that be your motto!
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for motto
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- شعارArabic
- mottoCzech
- MottoGerman
- divisa, lema, moteSpanish
- شعارPersian
- tunnuslause, motto, vaalilauseFinnish
- deviseFrench
- facal-suaicheantais, ceann-sgrìobhadhScottish Gaelic
- モットー, 標語Japanese
- mottoLatin
- motto, lijfspreuk, wapenspreukDutch
- mottoNorwegian
- lemaPortuguese
- девизRussian
- mottoSwedish
- parolaTurkish
- девізUkrainian
- مثلاUrdu
- 座右銘Chinese
Get even more translations for motto »
Translation
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"motto." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 6 Jun 2023. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/motto>.
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