motif
A recurring or dominant element; an artistic theme.
Example
“See how the artist repeats the scroll motif throughout the work?”
Other meanings
A short melodic or lyrical passage that is repeated in several parts of a work.
A decorative figure that is repeated in a design or pattern.
Synonyms
- motive
A kind of
- design
Related words
- antimotif
- biomotif
- intermotif
- minimotif
- motifeme
- motific
- motifless
- motivic
- pseudomotif
- submotif
- supermotif
- BACH motif
Word history
From French "motif".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “motif” on Wiktionary, by its contributors; related-word lists use Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0, based on Princeton WordNet), published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.