What does "motor" mean?
A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.
Motor
/ˈməʊtə/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.
- Grammar: motor is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: engine, active, actuators, aeromotor.
- Useful contrasts: boga, disable, generators.
- Usage evidence: There is nothing the matter with the motor.
How to use "motor"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "motor" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "motor" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "motor" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "motor" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "motor" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "engine" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "motor", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A machine or device that converts other energy forms into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.
- 2 machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion wordnet
- 3 A motor car, or automobile, sometimes extended to other powered vehicles, such as goods vehicles.
"Nice motor!"
- 4 a nonspecific agent that imparts motion wordnet
- 5 A source of power for something; an inspiration; a driving force. figuratively
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Any protein capable of converting chemical energy into mechanical work.
- 7 The controller or prime mover of the universe; God. archaic, poetic
- 8 The fermenting mass of fruit that is the basis of pruno, or "prison wine". slang
Verb
- 1 To make a journey by motor vehicle; to drive. dated
"On Saturday we motored down to Plymouth."
- 2 travel or be transported in a vehicle wordnet
- 3 To rotate a jet engine or turboprop using the engine's starter, without introducing fuel into the engine. transitive
"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."
- 4 To progress at a brisk pace. figuratively, informal
"Sales were slow at first, but now things are really motoring."
- 5 To leave. slang
"I gotta motor."
Adjective
- 1 Relating to the ability to move. not-comparable
"She has excellent motor skills."
- 2 Propelled by an internal combustion engine (as opposed to a steam engine or turbine). not-comparable
"A motor yacht for its size has about 30 per cent more accommodations than a steamer of the same size."
Adjective
- 1 causing or able to cause motion wordnet
- 2 conveying information to the muscles from the CNS wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 Alternative form of Mator (“Samoyedic language”). alt-of, alternative
Antonyms
Example
"There is nothing the matter with the motor."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "motor"?
Common synonyms include: engine, active, actuators, aeromotor, alembic, anvil.
How do you use "motor" in a sentence?
There is nothing the matter with the motor.
How do you pronounce "motor"?
Pronounced /ˈməʊtə/.
Etymology
From Middle English motour (“controller, prime mover; God”), from Latin mōtor (“mover; that which moves something”), from mōtō (“to set in motion”).