motto

American  

[mot-oh] / ˈmɒt oʊ /

noun

plural

mottoes, mottos

1. a maxim adopted as an expression of the guiding principle of a person, organization, city, etc.

2. a sentence, phrase, or word expressing the spirit or purpose of a person, organization, city, etc., and often inscribed on a badge, banner, etc.

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motto British  

/ ˈmɒtəʊ /

noun

1. a short saying expressing the guiding maxim or ideal of a family, organization, etc, esp when part of a coat of arms

2. a short explanatory phrase inscribed on or attached to something

3. a verse or maxim contained in a paper cracker

4. a quotation prefacing a book or chapter of a book

5. a recurring musical phrase

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Etymology

Origin of motto

1580–90; < Italian < Late Latin muttum sound, utterance. See mot

Compare meaning

How does motto compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• motto vs. slogan

Example Sentences

The plaintive observation, ascribed to the early Victorian British Prime Minister Viscount Melbourne about the acerbically self-confident historian Thomas Babington Macaulay, remains the motto of the thoughtfully skeptical man through the ages.

From The Wall Street Journal

"I always say to people, do what scares you," she says of her personal motto.

From Barron's

The meticulous sonic approach brings to mind some of the lush ’80s work from the German jazz and experimental label ECM, whose motto is “The Most Beautiful Sound Next to Silence.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Some inside the company described the atmosphere as reminiscent of the company’s early days, when its name was still Facebook and its unofficial internal motto was “move fast and break things.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Such talk rattles many here who grew up in a country where government buildings still bear the revolutionary motto: “Homeland or death, we will prevail.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adage
• aphorism
• maxim
• rallying cry