Meaning & use
motto
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Meanings
nouncountable
A short saying that sums up the ideals or aims that a person, school or organization lives by.
Grammar: Can be counted: school mottoes.
Patterns
- the motto of something
- live by a motto
Our school motto is 'Work hard, be kind.'
His motto is to never give up.
The city's motto appears on its flag.
nouncountableBritish
A short verse or riddle printed on a slip of paper inside a cracker or sweet.
Grammar: Mainly British, from Christmas crackers.
Each cracker held a paper hat and a motto.
She read the motto aloud at dinner.
The mottoes were silly jokes.
Word forms
| plural | mottoes or mottos |
|---|
Common combinations
- family motto
- The family motto was carved above the door.
- school motto
- The school motto is written in Latin.
- live by a motto
- She lives by the motto 'Do your best.'
- adopt a motto
- The team adopted a new motto.
- personal motto
- My personal motto is 'Stay curious.'
Synonyms and how they differ
- slogan
- Slogan is used in advertising or politics, while a motto states a lasting belief.
- maxim
- Maxim is a general rule of conduct and need not belong to a group.
- credo
- Credo is a formal statement of beliefs and sounds more serious.
- catchphrase
- Catchphrase is a repeated phrase linked to a person and is often humorous.
Word family
- slogan noun
- a catchy phrase used in advertising
Practice
The fire department's ____ is 'Ready to help', painted on every truck.
Choose one answer.
A motto is a short statement of principle. Motive means a reason for acting, motion means movement, and moat is a ditch around a castle.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “motto”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.