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Which composer wrote the famous "da da da DUM" motif in his Symphony No. 5?

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motif

American  

[moh-teef] / moʊˈtif /

noun

• motifs
  plural

1. a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work.

2. a distinctive and recurring form, shape, figure, etc., in a design, as in a painting or on wallpaper.

3. a dominant idea or feature.

   Pulmonary problems were a grim motif in his life.

4. Biochemistry. a distinct pattern of amino acids in a function-specific protein sequence.

   No polyproline motif has been observed in these yeast proteins.

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motif British  

/ məʊˈtiːf /

noun

1. a distinctive idea, esp a theme elaborated on in a piece of music, literature, etc

2. Also: motive.  a recurring form or shape in a design or pattern

3. a single added piece of decoration, such as a symbol or name on a jumper, sweatshirt, etc

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motif Cultural  

1. In literature, art, or music, a recurring set of words, shapes, colors, or notes. In the poem “The Raven,” by Edgar Allan Poe, for example, the word nevermore is a motif appearing at the end of each stanza. Likewise, the first four notes of the Fifth Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven are a motif that is developed and reshaped throughout the work.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• motifs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of motif

First recorded in 1840–50; from French; see origin at motive

Explanation

The race car decor in your room, the refrain of a song, the idea or object that keeps popping up in a story — these are all motifs, reoccurring elements that move throughout and shape music, art and novels. This French import is related to the Latin verb movere which means "to move." Think about a pattern or design that moves throughout something when you hear motif. Have you ever been to a restaurant with a tropical or Wild West motif? Do you like dresses with a floral motif? In novels, a motif can be a recurring idea like revenge or an object that symbolizes an idea. A character might notice shadows throughout a story which symbolize his dark past.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

motif motifs

A.I. has been a key motif of Leo’s nascent papacy, from early speeches to advisory groups to the reception of tech execs who’ve approached the holy man on their own.

From Slate ● May 28, 2026

“Girl” is the only example in this series to feature his best-known motif: a little girl reaching wistfully for a drifting balloon, Gouzer said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Ever since, skin bones have remained a recurring motif in evolution.

From Science Daily ● May 21, 2026

But how does Iamaleava fit into this bright motif?

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026

Each had knotted, carefully combed tassels, fleur-de-lis borders, ornate medallion designs, and minute scalloping amid a motif of connected eight-spoked wheels, all in rust and fire orange.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

More elaborate designs, including hatched bands, grids, and diamond-shaped motifs, also showed evidence of rotation, translation, repetition, and "embedding," i.e., the ability to build hierarchical levels of signs within the same surface.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

A team analysed the songs of more than 100,000 songbirds and revealed that the world's birdsongs are composed of eight fundamental types of sound that the researchers call "motifs".

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

British architect Edwin Lutyens was credited with blending European styles and Indian architectural motifs in the new imperial capital, which was inaugurated in 1931.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

In this context, Ms. Fletcher argues, guns could be “domesticated” by being richly decorated with motifs inspired by ancient history and myth, incorporating both classical and Christian themes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

I had looked closely at the elaborate motifs of her tablecloths and doilies and had tried to draw them on lined notebook paper or on flattened grocery bags.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Related Words

• concept
• logo
• pattern