motive

/mˈoʊtɪv/ · 2 syllables

Meaning

adjective

1. causing or able to cause motion
   “a motive force”
2. impelling to action- Arthur Pap
   “it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function”

noun

1. 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”
2. a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music
3. a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration

Synonyms for motive

• motor
• causative
• motivative
• motivating
• motivation
• need
• motif

Words that rhyme with motive

• automotive
• locomotive
• emotive
• airmotive
• nonautomotive