motives

noun

An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action.

(law) Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour.

(British) A party, gathering, or get-together.

(British) One's plans for the day or night.

(architecture, fine arts, music) Alternative form of motif. [A recurring or dominant element; an artistic theme.]

(obsolete) An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting.

(obsolete, rare) A limb or other bodily organ that can move.

verb

(transitive) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

adjective

Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move

Relating to motion and/or to its cause

Roots

moveomot- · Latin · move, mover

Synonyms & related words for motives

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Words related to motives

Explore words related to motives — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include motivation, motivating, reasons, intentions, ulterior, motif, motiveless, rationale. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Where does motives come from?

The word motives 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.