How to pronounce motive
Say it like MOH-tiv. Motive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce motive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MOH
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Motive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of motive
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: MOH-tiv.
What does motive mean?
- the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior“we did not understand his motivation”“he acted with the best of motives”
- a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music
- a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration
- causing or able to cause motion“a motive force”“motive power”
- impelling to action“it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function”“motive pleas”
Where does motive come from?
From Middle English motif, from Anglo-Norman motif, Middle French motif, and their source, Late Latin motivum (“motive, moving cause”), neuter of motivus.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with motive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of motive.
Questions about saying motive
How do you pronounce motive?
Say MOH-tiv. The American pronunciation is /ˈmoʊtɪv/. In British English it is /ˈməʊtɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in motive?
Motive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MOH). Broken into parts: MOH · tiv.
Is motive pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈməʊtɪv/ (MOH-tiv).