MOTTO (mottoes)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: mottoes   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does motto mean? 

• MOTTO (noun)
  The noun MOTTO has 1 sense:

1. a favorite saying of a sect or political group

  Familiarity information: MOTTO used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MOTTO (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A favorite saying of a sect or political group

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

catchword; motto; shibboleth; slogan

Hypernyms ("motto" is a kind of...):

expression; locution; saying (a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "motto"):

catch phrase; catchphrase (a phrase that has become a catchword)

mantra (a commonly repeated word or phrase)

battle cry; cry; rallying cry; war cry; watchword (a slogan used to rally support for a cause)

 Context examples 

However, he means to succeed, and a man who has centuries before him can afford to wait and to go slow. Festina lente may well be his motto.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The supper was laid in a large room, with Union Jacks and mottoes hung thickly upon the walls.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

That motto can’t be used for everything.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

They did not forget their motto, but hoping and keeping busy seemed to grow easier, and after such tremendous exertions, they felt that Endeavor deserved a holiday, and gave it a good many.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It is a sort of prologue to the play, a motto to the chapter; and will be soon followed by matter-of-fact prose.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

There were crackers in it with the tenderest mottoes that could be got for money.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I grant an ugly woman is a blot on the fair face of creation; but as to the gentlemen, let them be solicitous to possess only strength and valour: let their motto be:—Hunt, shoot, and fight: the rest is not worth a fillip.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I have often heard him declare, that if baronetcies were saleable, anybody should have his for fifty pounds, arms and motto, name and livery included; but I will not pretend to repeat half that I used to hear him say on that subject.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

In France the young girls have a dull time of it till they are married, when 'Vive la liberte!' becomes their motto.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“She is such a dear girl!” said Traddles; “a little older than me, but the dearest girl! I told you I was going out of town? I have been down there. I walked there, and I walked back, and I had the most delightful time! I dare say ours is likely to be a rather long engagement, but our motto is “Wait and hope!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)