Standard Lemma guide

motiveless

adj · 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.

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Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Without a motive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • This seems to have been a motiveless crime: no money was stolen, and nobody had cause to hate the victim.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

occurring without motivation or provocation- F.D.Roosevelt

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • motiveless malignity
  • unprovoked and dastardly attack

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unprovoked, wanton

Antonyms: none provided

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 *lewh1- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English motiveless From motive + -less.