Which to use
“Motive” and “Motte” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #5,398
- “Motive” frequency rank
- #32,677
- “Motte” frequency rank
- 38075
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Motive | Motte |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Motiv | Kleinschmetterling mit etwa 1 cm spannenden schmalen Flügeln, dessen Raupe unter anderem Wolle, Seide, Pelzwerk und Tapeten befällt |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Motive and Motte apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Motive ([moˈtiːvə]) and Motte ([ˈmɔtə]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 38075, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Motive is recorded at frequency rank #5,398, classified as anoun, pronounced [moˈtiːvə]. Motte is at rank #32,677, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈmɔtə].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 38075, this pair ranks #1,573,434 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Motive vs Motte
Shared letters: emot. Private to "Motive": iv. Private to "Motte": -.
"Motive" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "Motte" · 5 letters · shape CVCCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Motive" and "Motte" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Motive" or "Motte"?
Remembering Motive vs Motte
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “Motive” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable