motto

See also: Motto, mottó, and mòtto

English

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for motto in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian motto (“a word, a saying”), from Latin muttum (“a mutter, a grunt”), late 16th c.

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈmɑ.toʊ/

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 Thesaurus:saying

Translations

Further reading

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

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: mot‧to

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 transcription 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

  • Audio(file)

Noun

motto n

  1. motto

Declension

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

Synonyms

  • valspråk
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