Motif: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Motif noun. A shape, idea or tune that recurs through a work and helps give it its character.
How to say it
moh-TEEF/məʊˈtiːf/
2 syllables, stressed on the second (TEEF).
Motif in a sentence
A small red bird appears as a motif on every page of the picture book.
The four-note motif comes back each time the villain walks on stage.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- theme
- pattern
- refrain
- device
Where motif comes from
From French, related to motive, ultimately from Latin movere, to move.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The four-note _____ comes back each time the villain walks on stage.
- crescendo
- oeuvre
- motif
Show the answer
motif: The four-note motif comes back each time the villain walks on stage.