mot

The root word mot means “move.” Let’s really “move” on this motivational Latin roots podcast so as to motor through many English vocabulary words that have mot in them!

Humans love to move, and to move fast. Automotives, or motorcars, a more formal word for car, were built with such “movement” in mind, allowing their drivers to “move” anywhere there is a road. Someone who drives such a motorcar or automotive is a motorist, the one who drives the “moving” vehicle. On a larger scale, a locomotive, or “engine” of a train, “moves” passenger or freight cars from one place to another. On a much smaller scale, a motorcycle is a small, two-wheeled vehicle that quickly “moves” a motorcyclist, or driver of the motorcycle, from one place to another. All of these various vehicles that “move” people or things are powered by motors, or machines which produce “movement” while consuming fuel. All motors are built to produce motion, or “movement” of some kind, often in the form of spinning.

Ever wonder what the difference is between a hotel and a motel? Whereas a hotel lodges guests, a motel is specifically a type of hotel for motorists which provides for direct access to the parking space for each motorist’s motor vehicle.

Let’s look at a few more words that also come from the Latin root mot meaning “move.” Most people who work are motivated, or “moved,” to make money. Because of this “moving” desire, people will often try to get promoted in their company, or “moved” forward in job rank. One of the greatest fears of an employee is to get demoted, or “moved” down from his current status. Employees can get pretty emotional, or strongly “moved,” when it comes to either a promotion or demotion!

I think that we have now “moved” over enough material about the Latin root word mot. Now you no longer need to feel remote or “moved” back from the meanings of English words that have mot in them!

1. automotive: car that “moves” by itself
2. motorcar: car that “moves”
3. motorist: one who “moves” a car by driving it
4. locomotive: engine that “moves” freight cars
5. motorcycle: two-wheeled vehicle that “moves”
6. motorcyclist: the driver of a motorcycle
7. motor: engine or machine that “moves”
8. motion: the condition of “moving”
9. motel: a hotel for “motorists”
10. motivate: to “move” a person so that she will do something
11. promote: to “move” forward
12. demote: to “move” down or from a position
13. promotion: a “moving” forward, as in social status
14. demotion: a “moving” downward, as in social status
15. emotional: pertaining to being strongly “moved”
16. remote: that which is “moved” back