Meaning of motivation in English

Table of contents

Noun
motivation
Etymology
late 19th century: from motive, reinforced by motivate
Definitions
1. the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal
Examples
- « the reason for the action »
- « that which gives purpose and direction to behavior »
- « we did not understand his motivation »
- « he acted with the best of motives »
Derived terms
2. the condition of being motivated
Examples
- « his motivation was at a high level »
Derived terms
3. the act of motivating
Examples
- « providing incentive »
Derived terms

Famous quotes

« While many hackers have the knowledge, skills, and tools to attack computer systems, they generally lack the motivation to cause violence or severe economic or social harm. »
Dorothy Denning
« I think change is possible, but only for individuals who were never truly gay in the first place and who have a strong personal motivation to recover their heterosexuality. »
Marilyn vos Savant
« If money was my only motivation, I would organize myself differently. »
Placido Domingo
« I have a lot of younger fans, obviously the choices I make often influence them. But having said that, it's kind of the best motivation in the world to stay positive and make good choices. »
James Maslow
« I don't believe in team motivation. I believe in getting a team prepared so it knows it will have the necessary confidence when it steps on a field and be prepared to play a good game. »
Tom Landry