- motif - a design that consists of recurring shapes or colors
--1 is a kind of design, pattern, figure
- motif, motive - a theme that is elaborated on in a piece of music
--2 is a kind of theme, melodic theme, musical theme, idea
--2 has particulars: obbligato, obligato- theme, motif - a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work; "it was the usual `boy gets girl' theme"
--3 is a kind of idea, thought
--3 has particulars: topos - motif, motive - a theme that is elaborated on in a piece of music