Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun motif

3 senses of motif

Sense 1
motif, motive -- (a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration)
       => design, pattern, figure -- (a decorative or artistic work; "the coach had a design on the doors")

Sense 2
motif, motive -- (a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music)
       => theme, melodic theme, musical theme, idea -- ((music) melodic subject of a musical composition; "the theme is announced in the first measures"; "the accompanist picked up the idea and elaborated it")

Sense 3
theme, motif -- (a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work; "it was the usual `boy gets girl' theme")
       => idea, thought -- (the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about; "it was not a good idea"; "the thought never entered my mind")