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motif
[ moh-teef ]
noun
- a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work.
- a distinctive and recurring form, shape, figure, etc., in a design, as in a painting or on wallpaper.
- a dominant idea or feature:
Pulmonary problems were a grim motif in his life.
- Biochemistry. a distinct pattern of amino acids in a function-specific protein sequence:
No polyproline motif has been observed in these yeast proteins.
motif
/ əʊˈپː /
noun
- a distinctive idea, esp a theme elaborated on in a piece of music, literature, etc
- Alsomotive a recurring form or shape in a design or pattern
- a single added piece of decoration, such as a symbol or name on a jumper, sweatshirt, etc
motif
- In literature, art, or music, a recurring set of words, shapes, colors, or notes. In the poem “ The Raven ,” by Edgar Allan Poe , for example, the word nevermore is a motif appearing at the end of each stanza . Likewise, the first four notes of the Fifth Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven are a motif that is developed and reshaped throughout the work.
Word History and Origins
Origin of motif1
Example Sentences
The lush motif is carried outdoors to the deck off of the kitchen, where the hillside’s palm trees, bougainvillea and citrus provide shade for the dining table and chairs.
He sports a feather Rudy gave him; eagles will be a motif in his storyline.
This recurring motif may or may not be an apt metaphor for her outlook on life – predators are always waiting to pounce on what’s hers.
Along the way, she visits strange and mystical worlds packed with nods to Southern Gothic motifs and the complicated, real-life history of the region.
"Removing old failing plaster to find these remarkable motifs and faces looking back at us is a moment we will never forget."
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