verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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US:/ˌdiːˈmoʊtɪveɪt/
UK:/ˌdiːˈməʊtɪveɪt/
1
verb
Meaning 1
To decrease the motivation of a person or a group.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- Anglo-Norman motifder. Middle French motifder. Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh1- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *m(y)owh1éyetider. Proto-Italic *moweō Latin moveō Latin mōtus Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Late Latin mōtīvumder. Middle English motif English motive Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English motivate English demotivate From de- + motivate.
Across languages
Translations
13 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Czech:
demotivovat
— to decrease the motivation
Dutch:
demotiveren
— to decrease the motivation
Finnish:
lannistaa
— to decrease the motivation
Finnish:
viedä motivaatio
— to decrease the motivation
French:
démotiver
— to decrease the motivation
Galician:
desmotivar
— to decrease the motivation
German:
demotivieren
— to decrease the motivation
Hindi:
हतोत्साहन
(hatotsāhan)
— to decrease the motivation
Italian:
demotivare
— to decrease the motivation
Polish:
demotywować
— to decrease the motivation
Polish:
zdemotywować
— to decrease the motivation
Portuguese:
desmotivar
— to decrease the motivation
Russian:
демотиви́ровать
(demotivírovatʹ)
— to decrease the motivation