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 • Mar. 30, 2026

Laxmi Ghimire, another activist at Sunday's protest, said "promoting a motto of good governance will not make the country and its people feel it".

From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026

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 • Mar. 22, 2026

“Out with the old mess, in with the new” is the reality genre’s unspoken motto, but let’s think about what that means here.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

Then borrowing from the school’s motto, “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve,” I added: “If you elect me I will go forth to serve all of you.”

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

Related Words

• adage
• aphorism
• maxim
• rallying cry