Motif or motive?
motif is a noun meaning “A recurring or dominant element; an artistic theme”; motive is a noun meaning “An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one…”. In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) motive is about 3.5 times as common as motif.
What is the difference between motif and motive?
| motif | motive | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | noun | noun, verb, adjective |
| Meaning | A recurring or dominant element; an artistic theme A short melodic or lyrical passage that is repeated in several parts of a work | An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move |
| Example | See how the artist repeats the scroll motif throughout the work? | What would his motive be for burning down the cottage? |
| Forms | motifs | motives |
| Pronunciation | /moʊˈtiːf/ | /ˈməʊtɪv/ /ˈmoʊtɪv/ |
| In writing | 2.5 times per million words | 8.7 times per million words |
Sources: motif and motive in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of motif and motive
motif
- 1
A recurring or dominant element; an artistic theme
See how the artist repeats the scroll motif throughout the work?
- 2
A short melodic or lyrical passage that is repeated in several parts of a work
- 3
A decorative figure that is repeated in a design or pattern
- 4
A decorative appliqué design or figure, as of lace or velvet, used in trimming
- 5
The physical object or objects repeated at each point of a lattice. Usually atoms or molecules
- 6
A basic element of a move in terms of why the piece moves and how it supports the fulfilment of a stipulation
- 7
In a nucleotide or aminoacid sequence, pattern that is widespread and has, or is conjectured to have, a biological significance
motive
- 1
An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action
- 2
To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move
- 3
Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move
a motive argument
- 4
Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour
What would his motive be for burning down the cottage?
- 5
Relating to motion and/or to its cause
- 6
Alternative form of motif
If you listen carefully, you can hear the flutes mimicking the cello motive
- 7
UKA party, gathering, or get-together
- 8
UKOne's plans for the day or night
What's the motive for tonight, lads?
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, motif or motive?
motif appears 2.5 times per million words; motive 8.7 times per million words.
motif 2.5 times per million wordsmotive 8.7 times per million words
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How many people search motif vs motive?
“motif vs motive” is searched about 170 times a month on Google and 10 on Bing in the United States. Google counts close variants of a query together (“motive vs motif”, “motif or motive”).
Sources: Google Ads keyword data through DataForSEO and Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, the average month from September 2025 to August 2026.