# motion vs motive

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### motion
*noun · IPA /ˈməʊ.ʃən/ · frequency rank #2,545*
A change whereby something goes from one place to another; a state of progression from one place to another; a change of position with respect to time.

### motive
*noun · IPA /ˈməʊtɪv/ · frequency rank #7,817*
An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/motion-vs-motive