Meanings
motor1
plural motors · alternative motour
- now colloquial outside attributive useA motor car, or automobile, sometimes extended to other powered vehicles, such as goods vehicles.
Nice motor!
5 more examples
Motor insurance is expensive for youngsters.
It was flood-tide along Fifth Avenue; motor, brougham, and victoria swept by on the glittering current; pretty women glanced out from limousine and tonneau; young men of his own type, silk-hatted, frock-coated, the crooks of their walking sticks tucked up under their left arms, passed on the Park side.
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “His Own People”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 6Every since the age of six Troy Belknap of New York had embarked for Europe every June on the fastest steamer of one of the most expensive lines. With his family he had descended at the dock from a large noiseless motor, had kissed his father good-bye, turned back to shake hands with the chauffeur (a particular friend), and trotted up the gang-plank behind his mother's maid, [...]
1918, Edith Wharton, chapter I, in The Marne, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC, page 1'However, you go and try your luck and see how you like it.' With that he flung himself into his motor and was off.
1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World ScreamedThe screeching of brakes, the monotonous blare of motor horns, the clip-clip of shoes on slippery pavements, the rustling of wet mackintoshes were all part of the great metropolis.
1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XXII, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 214 - Any protein capable of converting chemical energy into mechanical work.
- archaicpoeticChristianityThe controller or prime mover of the universe; God.
- not comparablenauticalPropelled by an internal combustion engine (as opposed to a steam engine or turbine).
A motor yacht for its size has about 30 per cent more accommodations than a steamer of the same size.
1915 June, “Many Yachts to Go in Commission”, in The American Marine Engineer
present singular third person motors · participle present motoring · participle past motored · past motored
- datedtransitiveTo make a journey by motor vehicle; to drive.
On Saturday we motored down to Plymouth.
3 more examples
The practice used to be for such consignments to be loaded as tranships to the large centre, but this involved rather slow transits, and to a considerable extent these consignments are now motored to the large centre, and in the average case the transit is improved by a day.
1944 November and December, T. F. Cameron, “Motor and Cartage Working”, in Railway Magazine, pages 336–337Well, if you ever plan to motor west / Jack, take my way, it's the highway that's the best / Get your kicks on Route 66
1946 April 22, Bobby Troup, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66”, in New Juke Box Hits, performed by Chuck Berry, published March 1961, side 2, track 21983, Kelly Keagy (of the music group Night Ranger), "Sister Christian" You're motoring / What's your price for flight / In finding mister right? / You'll be alright tonight
Synonyms: moto
- transitiveaeronauticsTo rotate a jet engine or turboprop using the engine's starter, without introducing fuel into the engine.
During startup, the engine should be motored for 20 to 30 seconds to allow the shafts to straighten out, as they may have become bowed under their own weight while the airplane was sitting on the ground.
- figurativelyinformalintransitiveTo progress at a brisk pace.
Sales were slow at first, but now things are really motoring.
1 more example
More recently, ORR has been developing its knowledge and skills in cyber and digital security. Prosser says this is really "motoring".
2023 November 15, Ian Prosser talks to Stefanie Foster, “A healthy person is a more productive person”, in RAIL, number 996, page 34
Motor2
- alternativeAlternative form of Mator (“Samoyedic language”).
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.
nounA source of power for something; an inspiration; a driving force.
nounThe fermenting mass of fruit that is the basis of pruno, or "prison wine".
verbTo make a journey by motor vehicle; to drive.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveconveying information to the muscles from the CNS
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*m(y)ewh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*m(y)owh₁éyeti
- Proto-Italic*moweō
- Latinmoveō
- Latinmōtor
- Middle Englishmotour
- Englishmotor
From Middle English motour (“controller, prime mover; God”), from Latin mōtor (“mover; that which moves something”), from mōtō (“to set in motion”).
More words from Middle English, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans motor, enjin
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- enjinmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motoriesbiology: relating to ability to move
Arabic مُحَرِّك, مُوتُور
- مُحَرِّك (muḥarrik)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- مُوتُور (mutūr)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Bengali মোটর, ইঞ্জিন
- মোটর (mōṭor)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- ইঞ্জিন (injin)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Bulgarian мото́р, дви́гател
- мото́р (motór)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- дви́гател (dvígatel)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- дви́жеща си́ла (dvížešta síla)figuratively: source of power; driving force
- двигателен (dvigatelen)biology: relating to ability to move
- автомобилен (avtomobilen)relating to motor cars
- моторен (motoren)nautical: propelled by an internal combustion engine
Catalan motor, motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motorbiology: relating to ability to move
Chinese Cantonese 馬達 /马达, 摩托
- 馬達 /马达 (maa⁵ daat⁶)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 摩托 (mo¹ tok³)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 引擎machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 發動機 /发动机 (faat³ dung⁶ gei¹)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 電動機 /电动机machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Chinese Mandarin 馬達 /马达, 摩托
- 馬達 /马达 (mǎdá)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 摩托 (mótuō)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 引擎 (yǐnqíng)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 發動機 /发动机 (fādòngjī)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 電動機 /电动机 (diàndòngjī)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Czech motor, motorický
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motorickýbiology: relating to ability to move
Danish motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Dari موتَر
- موتَر (mōtar)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Dutch motor, motorrijtuig
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motorrijtuigcolloquial: motor car — see also automobile
Esperanto motoro
- motoromachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Estonian mootor
- mootormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Finnish moottori, moottori
- moottorimachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- moottorifiguratively: source of power; driving force
- moottoriproteiiniprotein capable of converting chemical energy into mechanical work
- motorinenbiology: relating to ability to move
- ajoneuvo-relating to motor cars
- moottori-relating to motor cars
- moottori-nautical: propelled by an internal combustion engine
- autoillato make a journey by motor vehicle — see also drive
- mennä kovaainformal: to move at a brisk pace
- mennä lujaainformal: to move at a brisk pace
- liuetaslang: to leave
French moteur
- moteurmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
German Motor, Triebwerk
- Motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- Triebwerkmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- Antriebmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Greek μηχανή, κινητήρας
- μηχανή (michaní)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- κινητήρας (kinitíras)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- κινητικός (kinitikós)biology: relating to ability to move
Hebrew מָנוֹעַ
- מָנוֹעַ (manóa)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Hindi मोटर, इंजन
- मोटर (moṭar)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- इंजन (iñjan)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Hungarian motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Icelandic mótor
- mótormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Indonesian motor, mesin
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- mesinmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- enjinmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Iranian Persian موتور, مُحَرِّک
- موتور (motor)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- مُحَرِّک (moharrek)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Irish mótar, luaileach
- mótarmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- luaileachbiology: relating to ability to move
Italian motore, macchina
- motoremachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- macchinacolloquial: motor car — see also automobile
- autocolloquial: motor car — see also automobile
- autovetturacolloquial: motor car — see also automobile
- motoriobiology: relating to ability to move
Japanese モーター, エンジン
- モーター (mōtā)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- エンジン (enjin)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 機関 (kikan)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 機械 (kikai)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 発動機 (hatsudōki)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 原動機 (kendōki)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Korean 모터, 기관
- 모터 (moteo)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 기관 (gigwan)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- 엔진 (enjin)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Latvian dzinējs, motors
- dzinējsmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motorsmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Lithuanian variklis, motoras
- variklismachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motorasmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Malay motor, enjin
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- enjinmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Māori pūkaha, initia
- pūkahamachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- initiamachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- inianamachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- mīhinimachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- whakanekebiology: relating to ability to move
Norwegian Bokmål motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Polish silnik
- silnikmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Portuguese motor, motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motorcolloquial: motor car — see also automobile
- motorbiology: relating to ability to move
Romanian motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Russian мото́р, дви́гатель
- мото́р (motór)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- дви́гатель (dvígatelʹ)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- дви́житель (dvížitelʹ)figuratively: source of power; driving force
- дви́жущая си́ла (dvížuščaja síla)figuratively: source of power; driving force
- автомоби́льный (avtomobílʹnyj)relating to motor cars
- мото́рный (motórnyj)nautical: propelled by an internal combustion engine
Scottish Gaelic motar
- motarmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Slovak motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Spanish motor, motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motorcolloquial: motor car — see also automobile
- motorbiology: relating to ability to move
Swedish motor, motorisk
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- motoriskbiology: relating to ability to move
- bil-relating to motor cars
- motor-nautical: propelled by an internal combustion engine
Thai มอเตอร์, เครื่องยนต์
- มอเตอร์ (mɔɔ-dtə̂ə)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- เครื่องยนต์ (krʉ̂ʉang-yon)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Turkish motor
- motormachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Ukrainian мото́р, двигу́н
- мото́р (motór)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- двигу́н (dvyhún)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Urdu موٹَر, اِنْجَن
- موٹَر (moṭar)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- اِنْجَن (injan)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Vietnamese động cơ, mô-tơ
- động cơmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
- mô-tơmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Welsh modur
- modurmachine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Yiddish מאָטאָר
- מאָטאָר (motor)machine that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with motor
Anagrams
Cite this entry
motor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motor
“motor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motor. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “motor,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motor.
Source: motor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.