n.
Pronunciation: ' mä-( ˌ )t ō
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural mottoes also mottos
Etymology: Italian, from Late Latin muttum grunt, from Latin muttire to mutter
Date: 15th century
1 : a sentence, phrase, or word inscribed on something as appropriate to or indicative of its character or use
2 : a short expression of a guiding principle