Motivation vs. Motive

Motivation vs. Motive — Is There a Difference?
ADVERTISEMENT

Difference Between Motivation and Motive

Motivationnoun

Willingness of action especially in behavior.

Motivenoun

(obsolete) An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine prompting.

Motivationnoun

The action of motivating.

Motivenoun

An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything that prompts a choice of action.

Motivationnoun

Something which motivates.

Motivenoun

A limb or other bodily organ that can move.

ADVERTISEMENT

Motivationnoun

An incentive or reason for doing something.

Motivenoun

(legal) Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour.

What would his motive be for burning down the cottage?No-one could understand why she had hidden the shovel; her motives were obscure at best.

Motivationnoun

(advertising) A research rating that measures how the rational and emotional elements of a commercial affect consumer intention to consider, visit, or buy something.

The motivation scores showed that 65% of people wanted to visit our website to learn more about the offer after watching the commercial.

Motivenoun

A motif.

Motivationnoun

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 motivationhe acted with the best of motives

Motivenoun

(music) A motif; a theme or subject, especially one that is central to the work or often repeated.

If you listen carefully, you can hear the flutes mimicking the cello motive.
ADVERTISEMENT

Motivationnoun

the condition of being motivated;

his motivation was at a high level

Motiveverb

(transitive) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

Motivationnoun

the act of motivating; providing incentive

Motiveadjective

Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move

a motive argumentmotive power

Motiveadjective

Relating to motion and/or to its cause

Motivenoun

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 motivationhe acted with the best of motives

Motivenoun

a theme that is elaborated on in a piece of music

Motiveadjective

causing or able to cause motion;

a motive forcemotive powermotor energy

Motiveadjective

impelling to action;

it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative functionmotive pleasmotivating arguments