How Do You Spell MOTIVE?

Pronunciation: [mˈə͡ʊtɪv] (IPA)

The word "motive" is spelled with five letters and two syllables. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is represented as /ˈmoʊ.tɪv/. The first syllable, "mo," is pronounced with a long "o" sound, while the second syllable, "tive," has a short "i" sound. The "t" and "i" form a syllabic consonant, meaning that they are pronounced together as one sound. The word "motive" refers to a reason for doing something and is commonly used in legal settings to describe a person's intent for committing a crime.

MOTIVE Meaning and Definition

  1. Motive, as a noun, refers to a reason, intention, or driving force behind one's thoughts, actions, or behavior. It pertains to the underlying psychological or emotional stimulus that compels individuals to act or behave in a certain way. It is often regarded as the motivation or purpose that guides one's decisions or actions, serving as the catalyst for specific outcomes or goals. A motive can stem from a variety of factors like personal desires, beliefs, values, needs, or external influences.

    Understanding one's motive is of great importance in discerning the rationale behind their actions or behavior, as it sheds light on the core incentives driving them. Identifying motives can aid in analyzing and predicting human behavior or decision-making processes. It helps researchers, detectives, psychologists, or individuals themselves delve deeper into the underlying causes behind their actions, ultimately leading to a better grasp of human nature.

    In legal contexts, motive holds significance in criminal investigations and trials. It constitutes a vital element in establishing guilt or innocence, shaping the interpretation or proof of intent. While a motive may provide valuable insights into an individual's mindset, it alone does not indicate guilt or innocence, as actions can have multiple motives, and motives themselves may not entail criminal intent.

    Overall, the concept of motive encompasses the internal impetus, purpose, or drive behind human actions, serving as a fundamental aspect in comprehending individuals' behaviors and decisions.

  2. • Causing motion; able or tending to move.
    • That which actuates or influences; that which determines the choice; inducement; cause; reason; in art, that which produces conception, invention, or creation in the mind of the artist, when undertaking a subject.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for MOTIVE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for MOTIVE

Etymology of MOTIVE

The word "motive" comes from the Latin word "motivus", which means "moving, impelling, or causing to move". This Latin term is derived from the verb "movere", meaning "to move". The concept of motive refers to the driving force or reason that prompts a person to act or behave in a certain way.

Idioms with the word MOTIVE

  • base motive The idiom "base motive" refers to a selfish or immoral intention or reason for someone's actions. It implies that the person's motivations are driven by self-interest, personal gain, or unethical desires rather than noble or principled intentions.

Similar spelling words for MOTIVE

Plural form of MOTIVE is MOTIVES

Conjugate verb Motive

CONDITIONAL

I would motive
you would motive
he/she/it would motive
we would motive
they would motive

CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS

I would be motiving
you would be motiving
he/she/it would be motiving
we would be motiving
they would be motiving

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have motive
you would have motive
he/she/it would have motive
we would have motive
they would have motive

CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I would have been motiving
you would have been motiving
he/she/it would have been motiving
we would have been motiving
they would have been motiving

FUTURE

I will motive
you will motive
he/she/it will motive
we will motive
they will motive

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be motiving
you will be motiving
he/she/it will be motiving
we will be motiving
they will be motiving

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have motived
you will have motived
he/she/it will have motived
we will have motived
they will have motived

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been motiving
you will have been motiving
he/she/it will have been motiving
we will have been motiving
they will have been motiving

IMPERATIVE

you motive
we let´s motive

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to motive

PAST

I motived
you motived
he/she/it motived
we motived
they motived

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was motiving
you were motiving
he/she/it was motiving
we were motiving
they were motiving

PAST PARTICIPLE

motived

PAST PERFECT

I had motived
you had motived
he/she/it had motived
we had motived
they had motived

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been motiving
you had been motiving
he/she/it had been motiving
we had been motiving
they had been motiving

PRESENT

I motive
you motive
he/she/it motives
we motive
they motive

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am motiving
you are motiving
he/she/it is motiving
we are motiving
they are motiving

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

motiving

PRESENT PERFECT

I have motived
you have motived
he/she/it has motived
we have motived
they have motived

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been motiving
you have been motiving
he/she/it has been motiving
we have been motiving
they have been motiving

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