motto
n.-
1 guiding principle (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea short phrase that explains your goals or how you choose to live.
a maxim or short expression of a guiding principle or belief system.
ExampleThe school's motto is 'Learning for Life', and it appears on every uniform.
ExampleThe family lived by the motto that hard work eventually rewards the patient, a philosophy that guided their business decisions for generations.
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2 heraldry (n.) C1 Advanced Formala word or phrase shown on a family shield or coat of arms.
a word or phrase forming part of an heraldic achievement, typically positioned on a scroll below the shield.
ExampleThe knight's motto was carved in Latin at the bottom of the stone shield.
ExampleIn traditional heraldry, the motto often alludes to a specific historical event or a virtuous trait associated with the family lineage.
UsageOften appears in Latin in historical contexts.
Borrowed from Italian motto (“a word, a saying”), from Latin muttum (“a mutter, a grunt”), late 16th c. Doublet of mot.