Etymology of the English word motif
the English word
motifderived from the Old French word
motifderived from the Latin word
motivus (stirred; moved)
derived from the Latin word
movere (move, stir, agitate)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*meuÉ™-derived from the Latin word
motare (set in motion, shake, stir)
Date
The earliest known usage of motif in English dates from the 19th century.
Usage
Word found in Modern English
