Motto vs. Principle — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Motto and Principle
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Compare with Definitions
Motto
A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim.
Principle
A rule or standard, especially of good behavior
A man of principle.
Motto
A motto (derived from the Latin muttum, 'mutter', by way of Italian motto, 'word', 'sentence') is the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group or organization. Mottos 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.
Principle
A principle is a proposition or value that is a guide for behavior or evaluation. In law, it is a rule that has to be or usually is to be followed.
Motto
A short sentence or phrase chosen as encapsulating the beliefs or ideals of an individual, family, or institution
The family motto is ‘Faithful though Unfortunate’
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Principle
A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning
The basic principles of justice
Motto
A phrase which recurs throughout a musical work and has some symbolical significance
They were developing the use of leitmotifs or mottoes that appear throughout an opera
Principle
A general scientific theorem or law that has numerous special applications across a wide field.
Motto
A brief statement used to express a principle, goal, or ideal
“We explain that when someone is cruel, or acts like a bully, you don't stoop to their level—no, our motto is ‘when they go low, we go high'” (Michelle Obama).
Principle
A fundamental source or basis of something
The first principle of all things was water
Motto
(heraldry) A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievement.
Principle
A basic truth, law, or assumption
The principles of democracy.
Motto
(obsolete) A paper packet containing a sweetmeat, cracker, etc., together with a scrap of paper bearing a motto.
Principle
The collectivity of moral or ethical standards or judgments
A decision based on principle rather than expediency.
Motto
(intransitive) To compose mottos.
Principle
A fixed or predetermined policy or mode of action.
Motto
A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievment.
Principle
A basic or essential quality or element determining intrinsic nature or characteristic behavior
The principle of self-preservation.
Motto
A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim.
It was the motto of a bishop eminent for his piety and good works, . . . "Serve God, and be cheerful."
Principle
A rule or law concerning the functioning of natural phenomena or mechanical processes
The principle of jet propulsion.
Motto
A favorite saying of a sect or political group
Principle
(Chemistry) One of the elements that compose a substance, especially one that gives some special quality or effect.
Principle
A basic source. See Usage Note at principal.
Principle
A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
We need some sort of principles to reason from.
Principle
A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
The principle of least privilege holds that a process should only receive the permissions it needs.
Principle
Moral rule or aspect.
I don't doubt your principles.
You are clearly a person of principle.
It's the principle of the thing; I won't do business with someone I can't trust.
Principle
(physics) A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
Bernoulli's Principle
The Pauli Exclusion Principle prevents two fermions from occupying the same state.
The principle of the internal combustion engine
Principle
A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle.
Principle
A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
Principle
An original faculty or endowment.
Principle
Misspelling of principal
Principle
(obsolete) A beginning.
Principle
(transitive) To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.
Principle
Beginning; commencement.
Doubting sad end of principle unsound.
Principle
A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
The soul of man is an active principle.
Principle
An original faculty or endowment.
Nature in your principles hath set [benignity].
Those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering.
Principle
A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which others are founded; a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate.
Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as hurtful as a bad.
Principle
A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle.
All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind.
Principle
Any original inherent constituent which characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can usually be separated by analysis; - applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc.
Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna.
Principle
To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet, or rule of conduct, good or ill.
Governors should be well principled.
Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired.
Principle
A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct;
Their principles of composition characterized all their works
Principle
A rule or standard especially of good behavior;
A man of principle
He will not violate his principles
Principle
A basic truth or law or assumption;
The principles of democracy
Principle
A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system;
The principle of the conservation of mass
The principle of jet propulsion
The right-hand rule for inductive fields
Principle
Rule of personal conduct
Principle
(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature);
The rationale for capital punishment
The principles of internal-combustion engines
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