Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “motivation” come from?

Motivation comes from French motivation, formed from French motif and the suffix -ation, ultimately from Latin moveo meaning to move.

motivation (English): Willingness of action especially in behavior; The...

Definitions

  1. Willingness of action especially in behavior; The...

Ancestry of “motivation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-ationAn action or process; The result of an action or...
2Middle English-aciounForms nouns denoting an action, act, or doing,...
3Old French-ation-ation
4Latin-ātiō—
5Latin-tiō—
6Latindissertātiō—
7Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
8Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
9Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
10Latincalceusshoe
11Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
12Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “motivation”

  • motivational
  • motivationally
  • demotivation
  • amotivational
  • remotivation
  • demotivational
  • nonmotivational
  • undermotivation
  • nonmotivation
  • antimotivational
  • unmotivation
  • motivationless
  • antimotivation
  • transmotivation
  • モチベーション
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →