A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Motif

MOTIF (Germ. Motiv), a word which is in process of naturalization into English, and which has no less than three distinct meanings, according to which it will be found under separate heads: 1st, the German word originally means what we call 'figure,' that is, a short group of notes, 'which produce a single, distinct, and complete impression' [see Figure]; 2nd, it is used as a synonym for Subject, which see; 3rd, as equivalent to, and an abbreviation of, Leitmotiv, which has been fully treated.

[ J. A. F. M. ]