Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Motif \Mo"tif\, n. [F.]
   Motive.

Motif \Mo`tif"\, n. [F.]
   1. In literature and the fine arts, a salient feature or
      element of a composition or work; esp., the theme, or
      central or dominant feature; specif. (Music), a motive.

            This motif, of old things lost, is a favorite one
            for the serious ballade.              --R. M. Alden.

            The design . . . is . . . based on the peacock -- a
            motif favored by decorative artists of all ages.
                                                  --R. D. Benn.

   2. (Dressmaking) A decorative appliqu['e] design or figure,
      as of lace or velvet, used in trimming.

Source : WordNet®

motif
     n 1: a design that consists of recurring shapes or colors
     2: a theme that is elaborated on in a piece of music [syn: {motive}]
     3: a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or
        artistic work; "it was the usual `boy gets girl' theme"
        [syn: {theme}]

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Motif
     
        The standard {graphical user interface} and {window manager}
        from {OSF}, running on the {X Window System}.