Standard Lemma guide

motivator

noun · 2 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • mō′tə-vā′tər
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈməʊ.təˌveɪ.tə/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈmoʊ.təˌveɪ.təɹ/
  • Canada, General-American: [ˈmoʊ.ɾəˌveɪ.ɾɚ]
  • Australian: /ˈməʉ.təˌvæɪ.tə/
  • Australian: [ˈməʉ.ɾəˌvæɪ.ɾɚ]
  • Australian: /ˈmɐʉ.təˌvæɪ.tə/
  • Australian: [ˈmɐʉ.ɾəˌvæɪ.ɾɚ]
  • New-Zealand: /ˈmɐʉ.təˌvæɪ.tə/
  • New-Zealand: [ˈmɐʉ.ɾəˌvæɪ.ɾɚ]
  • Scotland: /ˈmo.təˌve.təɹ/
  • CMU ARPABET: M OW1 T AH0 V EY0 T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One who inspires or motivates someone; one who drives someone to act.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a positive motivational influence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incentive, inducement

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rational motive

Narrower terms: moral force, dynamic

History

Etymology

Etymology tree 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 Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin -ātor Old French -eorbor. Middle English -our ▲ Latin -torlbor. English -or English motivator From motivate + -or.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Hindi: प्रेरक (prerak) — one who motivates or inspires others
  • Indonesian: motivator — one who motivates or inspires others
  • Indonesian: pemotivasi — one who motivates or inspires others
  • Māori: kaiwhakaohooho — one who motivates or inspires others
  • Polish: motywator — one who motivates or inspires others
  • Polish: motywatorka — one who motivates or inspires others
  • Russian: мотиватор (motivator) — one who motivates or inspires others
  • Spanish: motivador — one who motivates or inspires others
  • Spanish: motivante — one who motivates or inspires others