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Webster 1913 Edition

Motto

Mot′to

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Mottoes
(#)
.
[It.
motto
a word, a saying, L.
muttum
a mutter, a grunt, cf.
muttire
,
mutire
, to mutter, mumble; prob. of imitative origin. Cf.
Mot
a word.]
1.
(Her.)
A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievment.
2.
A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim.
It was the
motto
of a bishop eminent for his piety and good works, . . . “Serve God, and be cheerful.”
Addison.

Webster 1828 Edition

Motto

MOT'TO

,
Noun.
Primarily, a word; but more commonly, a sentence or phrase prefixed to an essay or discourse, containing the subject of it, or added to a device.
In heraldry, the motto is carried in a scroll, alluding to the bearing or to the name of the bearer, or expressing some important idea.

Definition 2024

Motto

Motto

See also: motto, mottó, and mòtto

German

Noun

Motto n ‎(genitive Mottos, plural Mottos, 2nd plural Motti)

  1. motto

motto

motto

See also: Motto, mottó, and mòtto

English

Noun

motto ‎(plural mottos or mottoes)

  1. (heraldry) A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.
  2. A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim.
    • Joseph Addison (1672-1719)
      It was the motto of a bishop eminent for his piety and good works, ... Serve God, and be cheerful.
    • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
      “[…] the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes like
        Here's rattling good luck and roaring good cheer, / With lashings of food and great hogsheads of beer. […]”

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:saying

Translations

Czech

Alternative forms

  • moto n (less common)

Noun

motto n

  1. motto
  2. epigraph

Declension

See also

Danish

Noun

motto n (singular definite mottoet, plural indefinite mottoer)

  1. motto

References

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • Hyphenation: mot‧to

Etymology

From Italian motto ‎(“a word, a saying”).

Noun

motto n ‎(plural motto's, diminutive mottootje n)

  1. motto
  2. (heraldry) motto

Hyponyms

Finnish

Noun

motto

  1. A motto (sentence or a phrase with guiding principle).
  2. (heraldry) A motto.

Declension

Inflection of motto (Kotus type 1/valo, tt-t gradation)
nominative motto motot
genitive moton mottojen
partitive mottoa mottoja
illative mottoon mottoihin
singular plural
nominative motto motot
accusative nom. motto motot
gen. moton
genitive moton mottojen
partitive mottoa mottoja
inessive motossa motoissa
elative motosta motoista
illative mottoon mottoihin
adessive motolla motoilla
ablative motolta motoilta
allative motolle motoille
essive mottona mottoina
translative motoksi motoiksi
instructive — motoin
abessive mototta motoitta
comitative — mottoineen

Synonyms

Anagrams

Italian

Etymology

From Latin muttum ‎(“mutter”).

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɔtto

Noun

motto m ‎(plural motti)

  1. Witty remark
  2. motto, maxim
  3. posy (A motto inscribed inside a ring)

Japanese

Romanization

motto

  1. rōmaji reading of もっと

Maquiritari

Noun

motto

  1. worm

References

  • Ed. Key, Mary Ritchie and Comrie, Bernard. The Intercontinental Dictionary Series, Carib (De'kwana).

Nauruan

Noun

motto

  1. motto

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Italian motto

Noun

motto n ‎(definite singular mottoet, indefinite plural motto or mottoer, definite plural mottoa or mottoene)

  1. a motto

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Italian motto

Noun

motto n ‎(definite singular mottoet, indefinite plural motto, definite plural mottoa)

  1. a motto

References

Swedish

Pronunciation

Noun

motto n

  1. motto

Declension

Inflection of motto 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative motto mottot motton mottona
Genitive mottos mottots mottons mottonas

Synonyms

  • valspråk

Pronunciation

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