Definitions
01guiding principle
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a short phrase that explains your goals or how you choose to live.
n. a maxim or short expression of a guiding principle or belief system.
日本語:モットー※
“The school's motto is 'Learning for Life', and it appears on every uniform.”
“The family lived by the motto that hard work eventually rewards the patient, a philosophy that guided their business decisions for generations.”
02heraldry
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a word or phrase shown on a family shield or coat of arms.
n. a word or phrase forming part of an heraldic achievement, typically positioned on a scroll below the shield.
“The knight's motto was carved in Latin at the bottom of the stone shield.”
“In traditional heraldry, the motto often alludes to a specific historical event or a virtuous trait associated with the family lineage.”
Usage
Often appears in Latin in historical contexts.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Their school had inculcated them with the motto: "Sami'na wa ata'na" ["We hear, and we obey"].” “He gave 'All for Norway'," Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf said, referring to Harald's royal motto.” Etymology
Borrowed from Italian motto (“a word, a saying”), from Latin muttum (“a mutter, a grunt”), late 16th c. Doublet of mot.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/motto
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR