SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
motif
noun
A recurring figure, image, or idea in a work of music, art, or literature.
Quick word lookup
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Read this word in Dave's Corner
The Last Chair in the Orchestra · paragraph 3A recurring figure, image, or idea in a work of music, art, or literature.
No close substitute is listed for this sense. The expressions below help explain the idea.
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Return to topCHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See motif in use
A three-note motif returned each time the traveler appeared on stage.
Leah heard the same three-note motif each time a new dancer entered.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license