motivology

M3O1T1I1V4O1L1O1G2Y4

noun

The psychological study of people's motives.

“People studying motivology are hoping to find the motive behind the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.”

OriginAncient Greek λόγος (lógos) ← Proto-Hellenic *lógos ← Proto-Indo-European *lóǵos →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nounmotivology (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe psychological study of people's motives.

    People studying motivology are hoping to find the motive behind the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

Origin

  1. Anglo-Normanmotif
  2. Middle Frenchmotif
  3. Proto-Indo-European*m(y)ewh₁-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*m(y)owh₁éyeti
  5. Proto-Italic*moweō
  6. Latinmoveō
  7. Latinmōtus
  8. Late Latinmōtīvum
  9. Middle Englishmotif
  10. Englishmotive
  11. Proto-Indo-European*leǵ-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*lóǵos
  13. Proto-Hellenic*lógos
  14. Ancient Greekλόγος (lógos)
  15. Englishmotivology

From motive + -ology.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

motivology. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motivology

MLA

“motivology.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motivology. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “motivology,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motivology.

Source: motivology on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.