English Meaning & Definitions
An obvious, unambiguous, or easily identifiable reason or intention behind a person's actions.
- “The detective argued that the suspect had a clear motive for the crime: a large inheritance.”
- “Without a clear motive, the sudden resignation of the CEO left the board of directors confused.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “clear motive”.
The term combines 'clear' (from Old French 'cler', derived from Latin 'clarus', meaning bright or distinct) and 'motive' (from Late Latin 'motivus', meaning moving or impelling). Together, the phrase emerged in legal and psychological contexts to describe an intention that is transparent, unambiguous, and easily understood by observers.
Think of a 'clear' window through which you can see the 'motive' (the engine or driving force) of a person's actions.
Frequently Asked Questions About “clear motive”
1. What is the meaning of “clear motive” in English?
In English, clear motive (noun) is defined as: “An obvious, unambiguous, or easily identifiable reason or intention behind a person's actions.”.
2. How do you use “clear motive” in a sentence?
“The detective argued that the suspect had a clear motive for the crime: a large inheritance.”
3. What are English synonyms of “clear motive”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “clear motive”?
The term combines 'clear' (from Old French 'cler', derived from Latin 'clarus', meaning bright or distinct) and 'motive' (from Late Latin 'motivus', meaning moving or impelling). Together, the phrase emerged in legal and psychological contexts to describe an intention that is transparent, unambiguous, and easily understood by observers.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.