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

3 senses of motive

Sense 1
motivation, motive, need -- (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")
       => psychological feature -- (a feature of the mental life of a living organism)

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
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")

Antonyms of adj motive

2 senses of motive

Sense 1
motive (prenominal), motor -- (causing or able to cause motion; "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy")

INDIRECT (VIA causative) -> noncausative, noncausal -- (not causative)

Sense 2
motivative (prenominal), motive (prenominal), motivating -- (impelling to action; "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"- Arthur Pap; "motive pleas"; "motivating arguments")

INDIRECT (VIA causative) -> noncausative, noncausal -- (not causative)

Similarity of adj motive

2 senses of motive

Sense 1
motive (prenominal), motor -- (causing or able to cause motion; "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy")
       => causative (vs. noncausative) -- (producing an effect; "poverty as a causative factor in crime")

Sense 2
motivative (prenominal), motive (prenominal), motivating -- (impelling to action; "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"- Arthur Pap; "motive pleas"; "motivating arguments")
       => causative (vs. noncausative) -- (producing an effect; "poverty as a causative factor in crime")

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