motto — a short sentence or phrase that expresses a belief or guiding principle
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a short sentence or phrase that expresses a belief or guiding principle
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmɑːtoʊ/
Example Sentences
- My life motto is 'Never give up, especially before breakfast'
- The Olympic motto is 'Faster, Higher, Stronger'
- Her motto 'Sleep is for the weak' lasted until she had twins
motto
NOUN[/ˈmɑːtoʊ/]
a short sentence or phrase that expresses a belief or guiding principle

The school's motto 'Never give up' is carved above the main entrance.

The team's motto became a daily reminder of the values they wanted to live by. (Think of: MOTTO → "MY MOTTO": A motto is something you can say: “This is my rule.”)

Her motto was “go,” so she kept the photo of her first race as a reminder to keep moving forward.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Italian 'motto' meaning 'a muttered word' or 'a saying.' It derives from Latin 'muttum' (a grunt or murmur), which evolved to mean a brief, memorable statement of principle.
Breakdown
From Latin root 'mutt-' (to mutter/murmur) + past participle ending, originally referring to words spoken quietly that became condensed expressions of belief
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My life motto is 'Never give up, especially before breakfast'”
“The Olympic motto is 'Faster, Higher, Stronger'”
“Her motto 'Sleep is for the weak' lasted until she had twins”
“The company's motto emphasizes innovation and teamwork”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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