A motto (derived from the Latin muttum, 'mutter', by way of Italian motto, 'word' or 'sentence')[1][2][3][4] is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose,[1] or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organization.[2][4] Mottos (or mottoes)[1] are usually found predominantly in written form (unlike slogans, which may also be expressed orally), and may stem from long traditions of social foundations, or from significant events, such as a civil war or a revolution. One's motto may be in any language, but Latin has been widely used, especially in the Western world.
- ^ a b c motto – Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
{{cite encyclopedia}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ a b "motto – Oxford Dictionaries". OxfordDictionaries.com. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
- ^ motto – Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
{{cite encyclopedia}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ a b "Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)". The ARTFL Project. The University of Chicago. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013. [failed verification]