HOW TO PRONOUNCE
motto
/ˈmɑ.toʊ/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
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What does motto mean?
noun
- A personal slogan.
- A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.
- A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim.
More meanings (2)
verb
- To compose mottos.
noun
- (obsolete) A paper packet containing a sweetmeat, cracker, etc., together with a scrap of paper bearing a motto.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈmɑ.toʊ/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
In a few words, his motto was “I have my opinions,” and the love of the impossible constituted his ruling passion.
"Make haste slowly" is the translation of a Latin motto, which parents and teachers ought to observe in the education of children.
More book examples (3)
Grolierii et amicorum, was the motto of the renowned Grolier, whom mistaken writers vainly but frequently report to have been a bookbinder.
“You can talk just as well later on. Work first and then play used to be my motto when I was a girl.”
"Ships, colonies, and commerce" began to be the national motto--not that colonies make ships and commerce, but that ships and commerce make colonies.