n.
Pronunciation: m ō - ' t ē f
Function: noun
Etymology: French, motive, motif, from Middle French ― more at MOTIVE
Date: 1848
1 : a usually recurring salient thematic element (as in the arts) especially : a dominant idea or central theme
2 : a single or repeated design or color
– mo · tif · ic \ - ' t ē -fik, - ' ti- \ adjective