Synonyms & related words for motif

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of motif — including theme, motive, leitmotif, leitmotiv, pattern, decoration. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to motif

Explore words related to motif — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include palmette, anthemion, figuration, tropology, ornamentation, guilloche, symbolism, stylized. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for motif

Common synonyms for motif include theme, motive, leitmotif, leitmotiv, pattern, decoration, ornament, style — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does motif come from?

The word motif breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root mot-, from Latin moveo (“move, mover”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.