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motif — meaning in English

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English meaning

  • consideration noun Careful thought given to something before deciding or acting.
  • grounds noun Reasons or justification for something.
  • motif noun A recurring idea, image, or element that runs through a work of art, music, or literature.
  • motive noun A reason that drives someone to act, especially in a suspicious or criminal context.
  • pattern noun A repeated design of shapes, colors, or lines, often decorative.
  • trope noun A recurring device, theme or cliché in storytelling — the plucky orphan, the last-minute dash to the airport.

Senses

motif is used for these senses in English:

  • grounds (legal) Basis or justification for something.
  • motive (law) Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour. [from 18th c.]
  • motive (architecture, fine arts, music) .
  • pattern A design, motif or decoration, especially formed from regular repeated elements. [from 16th c.]
  • swatch A piece, pattern, or sample, generally of cloth or a similar material.
  • trope (art, literature) Something recurring across a genre or type of art or literature; a motif.

consideration — full definition

  1. noun Careful thought given to something before deciding or acting.
  2. noun Thoughtfulness and care for the needs or feelings of others.
  3. noun In law, something of value exchanged as part of a binding agreement.

grounds — full definition

  1. noun Reasons or justification for something.
  2. noun The land surrounding a building, such as a garden or estate.
  3. noun The solid particles that settle at the bottom of a liquid, especially coffee.

Related French words