motive
UK[ˈməʊtɪv]US[ˈmoʊtɪv]
n
a reason for doing something, especially one that is hidden or not obvious
adj
causing or being the reason for movement or action
Morpheme Breakdown
mot
ive
mot
move
ive
adjective/noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'motive' originates from the latin verb 'movere', meaning 'to move'. the suffix '-ivus' was added to form the late latin word 'motivus', which translates to 'serving to move'. this literal sense of 'causing motion' was carried into middle english via old french 'motif'. over time, the meaning evolved from the physical realm to the psychological, where an internal 'motive' is that which moves or prompts a person to act, thus connecting the core idea of movement to the modern abstract concept of a driving reason or intention.
Analysis
Structure: mot (move) + ive (adjective/noun suffix)
mot (from latin 'movere', meaning 'to move'); ive (from latin '-ivus', a suffix forming adjectives and nouns denoting a tendency, function, or quality)
Examples
the police could not establish a motive for the attack.
profit was the primary motive behind the company's decision.
she was the motive force behind the project's success.