motif
[ moh-teef ]
/ moʊˈtif /
noun
a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work.
a distinctive and recurring form, shape, figure, etc., in a design, as in a painting or on wallpaper.
a dominant idea or feature: Pulmonary problems were a grim motif in his life.
Biochemistry. a distinct pattern of amino acids in a function-specific protein sequence: No polyproline motif has been observed in these yeast proteins.
QUIZZES
THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ IS HARDLY A DODDLE!
But you can ace it no problem if you remember the words from September 7–13, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “Promethean” mean?
Origin of motif
First recorded in 1840–50; from French; see origin at motive
Words nearby motif
moth mullein, moth orchid, mothproof, mothy, Mo Ti, motif, motile, motion, motion capture, motionless, motion picture
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for motif
British Dictionary definitions for motif
motif
/ (məʊˈtiːf) /
noun
a distinctive idea, esp a theme elaborated on in a piece of music, literature, etc
Also: motive a recurring form or shape in a design or pattern
a single added piece of decoration, such as a symbol or name on a jumper, sweatshirt, etc
Word Origin for motif
C19: from French. See motive
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for motif
motif
[ (moh-teef) ]
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.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.