motivation

/ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃən/

//ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"motivation" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“motivation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,965 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,965
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Willingness of action especially in behavior.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

motivation vs motivator
80% similar
motivation vs mutilation
80% similar
motivation vs motivational
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for motivation
PropertyValue
Headwordmotivation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#4,965
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “motivation” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). motivation lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for motivation is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,965 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for motivation, with forms such as "mmotivation", "moitvation", and "motiavtion". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "motivator", "mutilation", "motivational", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French motivation. Morphologically motivate + -ion. The correct English form is motivation, spelled M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Willingness of action especially in behavior.
  2. 2
    The action of motivating.
  3. 3
    Something which motivates.
  4. 4
    An incentive or reason for doing something.
  5. 5
    A research rating that measures how the rational and emotional elements of a commercial affect consumer intention to consider, visit, or buy something.

Etymology

From French motivation. Morphologically motivate + -ion.

This word in other languages

motivación(Español)motivation(Français)Motivation(Deutsch)motivação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mmotivation,moitvation,motiavtion,motivaiton,motivasion,motivatino,motivationn,motivatoin,motivattion,motivtaion,motivvation,mottivation,motviation,mtoivation,omtivation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of motivation - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

mmotivation1moitvation2motiavtion2motivaiton2motivasion1motivatino2motivationn1motivatoin2
Edit distance from "motivation"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "motivation"?
"motivation" is spelled M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃən/.
What does "motivation" mean?
As a noun, "motivation" means: Willingness of action especially in behavior.
What words are commonly confused with "motivation"?
"motivation" is commonly confused with "motivator", "mutilation", "motivational". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "motivation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "motivation" is /ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "motivation"?
From French motivation. Morphologically motivate + -ion. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “motivation”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-O-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “motivator” - see the side-by-side comparison. motivation vs motivator
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list