moʊˈtiːf ˈməʊtɪv ˈmoʊtɪv ˈməʊtɪv ˈmoʊtɪv ˈməʊtə ˈmoʊtɚ 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 impelling to action it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function motive pleas motivating arguments causing or able to cause motion a motive force motive power motor energy a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music