motivate

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English

Etymology

motive +‎ -ate

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪt/
  • (file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈmoʊ.tɪ.veɪt/, /ˈmoʊ.ɾəˌveɪt/

Verb

motivate (third-person singular simple present motivates, present participle motivating, simple past and past participle motivated)

  1. (transitive) To provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage.
    The weekly staff meeting was meant to motivate employees.
    • 2021 March 10, Drachinifel, 17:51 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - The Big Night Battle: Night 1 (IJN 3(?) : 2 USN), archived from the original on 17 October 2022:
      Armor-piercing shells were heading up the shell hoists, but this procedure took a few minutes, allowing the battered American flagship to reply in kind, the gunners somewhat motivated to set new records for the rate of fire as the cruiser raked the larger ship from stem to stern in response.
  2. (transitive) To animate; to propel; to cause to take action
    He was motivated purely by self-interest.
    Steam-motivated pumps are used in manufacturing.

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations

Italian

Etymology 1

Adjective

motivate f pl

  1. feminine plural of motivato

Participle

motivate f pl

  1. feminine plural of motivato

Etymology 2

Verb

motivate

  1. inflection of motivare:
    1. second-person plural present indicative
    2. second-person plural imperative

Anagrams

Spanish

Verb

motivate

  1. second-person singular voseo imperative of motivar combined with te