motor

noun

A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.

(now colloquial outside attributive use) A motor car, or automobile, sometimes extended to other powered vehicles, such as goods vehicles.

(figuratively) A source of power for something; an inspiration; a driving force.

Any protein capable of converting chemical energy into mechanical work.

(prison slang) The fermenting mass of fruit that is the basis of pruno, or "prison wine".

Alternative form of Mator (“Samoyedic language”). [A Uralic Samoyedic language, extinct since the 1840s, formerly spoken in the northern region of the Sayan Mountains in Siberia, close to the Mongolian north border.]

(Christianity, archaic, poetic) The controller or prime mover of the universe; God.

verb

(informal, figurative) To progress at a brisk pace.

(slang) To leave.

(transitive, aviation) To rotate a jet engine or turboprop using the engine's starter, without introducing fuel into the engine.

(dated) To make a journey by motor vehicle; to drive.

adjective

(biology) Relating to the ability to move.

(nautical) Propelled by an internal combustion engine (as opposed to a steam engine or turbine).

Roots

moveomot- · Latin · move, mover

Synonyms for motor

enginen motorcarn automobilen carn driven auton motorcyclen wheelsn voiture engineryn

Synonyms & related words for motor

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of motor — including engine, motorcar, automobile, car, drive, auto. 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 motor

Explore words related to motor — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include electromotor, graphomotor, motortruck, telemotor, centrifugal, nonautomotive, drivetrain, engineman. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for motor

Common synonyms for motor include engine, motorcar, automobile, car, drive, auto, motorcycle, wheels — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does motor come from?

The word motor 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.