motto
/ˈmɒtəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɑːtəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmä-(ˌ)tō/ (ame, mw)
motto — noun
- mottosingular
- mottoesplural
1. a short, memorable phrase that a person, family, or organization adopts as their
a short, memorable phrase that a person, family, or organization adopts as their core principle, meant to guide how they act and what they stand for.
The school's motto, 'Try your best,' hangs above the main entrance.
possessive + motto with appositive quotation
Camille's personal motto that consistent effort leads to real progress is taped to her study wall.
motto + that-clause physically displayed
The fire department's motto — 'Courage and Service' — appears on every uniform.
Otis chose 'Never give up' as his motto for the marathon training.
Sivan lived by her family's old motto: treat others as you want to be treated.
- slogan
more commercial and campaign-oriented; slogans change with products, while mottos express lasting values
- maxim
more formal and universal, stating a general truth ('Honesty is the best policy') rather than a personal or group principle
- proverb
a traditional folk saying with common-sense wisdom, not deliberately chosen by a specific person or group
- credo
more formal and often religious or philosophical in tone; implies a deeply held set of beliefs
文法句型
motto + that-clause
motto + of + noun phrase
possessive + motto
用法筆記
Motto is frequently used with a possessive noun or an of-phrase to specify the person or group it belongs to (e.g. the team's motto, motto of the company). It is typically followed by a colon or dash when the actual phrase is quoted directly.