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" ;

2. (

• motif ,
• motive

) a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music ;

3. (

• motif ,
• motive

) a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration ;

1. (

• motive ,
• motor

) causing or able to cause motion; "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy" ;

2. (

• motivative ,
• motive ,
• motivating

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