"one who or that which imparts motion," mid-15c., "controller, prime mover (in reference to God);" from Late Latin motor, literally "mover," agent noun from past-participle stem of Latin movere "to move" (from PIE root *meue- "to push away"). Sense of "agent or force that produces mechanical motion" is first recorded 1660s; that of "machine that supplies motive power" is from 1856. Motor-home is by 1966. Motor-scooter is from 1919. First record of slang motor-mouth "fast-talking person" is from 1970.

also mother-land, "land of one's origin, land whence a people originated," 1711, from mother (n.1) + land (n.).

late 15c., "to request, petition" (obsolete), from motion (n.). The sense in parliamentary procedure, "to propose, move" is by 1747; with meaning "to guide or direct by a significant sign, gesture, or movement," as with the hand or head, it is attested from 1787. Related: Motioned; motioning.

"to furnish with a motor or motors," 1913, from motor (n.) + -ize. Related: Motorized; motorizing; motorization.

1980 (self-motivated is attested from 1949), "motivated by one's own interest or enthusiasm, without external influence," from self- + motivation. Related: Self-motivating; self-motivational.

"nacreous inner layer of the shell of various bivalve mollusks," c. 1500, translating Medieval Latin mater perlarum, with the first element perhaps connected in popular imagination with obsolete mother (n.2) "dregs." Compare Italian madreperla, French mère-perle, Dutch parelmoer, German Perlmutter, Danish perlemor. It is the stuff of pearls but in a layer instead of a mass.

1873, "act or process of furnishing with an incentive or inducement to action;" see motivate + -ion. Perhaps borrowed from German, where motivation is attested by 1854. Psychological use, "inner or social stimulus for an action," is from 1904.

"motor-car driver," 1896, from motor- + -ist. Earlier as a name for electric railway drivers (1889). Other early alternatives included motorneer.

"Motorer" we have given our reasons for rejecting, and there only remains "motorist" or a compound like "motor-man" or "motor-driver." Mr. C.P.G. Scott, the etymologist of the Century Dictionary, strongly favors "motor-man" or "motor-driver," though he would not object to "motorist" and prefers it above any other single word.

["Electric Power," October 1889]

"someone or something that initiates or stimulates action or behavior," 1917, agent noun in Latin form from motivate (v.).

"of or pertaining to motivation," 1931, from motivation + -al (1).