Motion vs. Movement: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Updated on September 26, 2023
"Motion" refers to the process or act of changing place or position, while "movement" denotes a specific change in position, often implying direction or purpose.
Difference Between Motion and Movement
"Motion" is a broad term that encompasses the general concept of something changing its place or position. It doesn't necessarily imply a starting or ending point, nor does it always indicate purpose. For example, when scientists discuss the motion of planets, they are referring to the continuous process of these celestial bodies moving through space.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
On the other hand, "movement" is more specific and often implies direction, purpose, or intent. When speaking of a movement of troops, it is not just their motion that's being referenced, but the deliberate change in position from one place to another with a particular goal in mind. Movement typically indicates a progression from one point to another.
Muazma Batool
Sep 26, 2023
Furthermore, "motion" often has more of a theoretical or technical connotation. It's used in the realms of physics, law, and other disciplines to describe the act or process of moving. In a courtroom, a "motion" refers to a formal proposal made by one party requesting a particular action.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
In contrast, "movement" can also imply a broader shift or change, not just in terms of physical position. For instance, the Civil Rights Movement wasn't just about physical movement but represented a significant societal and ideological shift. While both words pertain to change and shift, it's the context and nuance that differentiate them.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
Motion vs. Movement Comparison Chart
Definition
The act or process of moving.
A specific change in position with direction or purpose.
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Sep 26, 2023
Implication
General concept of changing place or position.
Implies direction, purpose, or intent.
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Sep 26, 2023
Usage
Often more theoretical or technical.
More specific, can denote broader shifts or changes.
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Sep 26, 2023
Example Contexts
Physics, law, general descriptions.
Tactical movements, societal changes, artistic trends.
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Sep 26, 2023
Motion vs. Movement Definitions
◉Movement
A shift or development in art, culture, or society.
Romanticism was a significant movement in 19th-century literature.
Jonathan
Sep 26, 2023
◉Motion
A formal proposal or request in a meeting or court.
The lawyer filed a motion to dismiss the charges.
Jonathan
Sep 26, 2023
◉Movement
The inner workings of a watch or clock.
The watch's movement is of the highest quality.
Muazma Batool
Sep 26, 2023
◉Motion
A gesture or sign used to express something.
With a swift motion of his hand, he signaled them to stop.
Leo
Sep 26, 2023
◉Motion
The working movement of a mechanism.
The smooth motion of the gears was impressive.
Muazma Batool
Sep 26, 2023
◉Motion
An emotional or instinctive drive.
He made the decision based on a sudden motion of pity.
Olivia
Sep 26, 2023
◉Movement
A change in the location of troops, ships, or aircraft for tactical or strategic purposes.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
A series of actions and events taking place over a period of time and working to foster a principle or policy
a movement toward world peace.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
A meaningful or expressive change in the position of the body or a part of the body; a gesture.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
An organized effort by supporters of a common goal
a leader of the labor movement.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
A prompting from within; an impulse or inclination
resigned of her own motion.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
The suggestion or illusion of motion in a painting, sculpture, or design.
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◉Motion
A mechanical device or piece of machinery that moves or causes motion; a mechanism.
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◉Movement
(Linguistics) In generative grammar, a transformation in which a constituent in one part of a syntactic structure is copied or displaced into a different location, creating a new structure.
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◉Movement
A mechanism, such as the works of a watch, that produces or transmits motion.
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◉Movement
Physical motion between points in space.
I saw a movement in that grass on the hill.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
(engineering) A system or mechanism for transmitting motion of a definite character, or for transforming motion, such as the wheelwork of a watch.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
A trend in various fields or social categories, a group of people with a common ideology who try together to achieve certain general goals
The labor movement has been struggling in America since the passage of the Taft-Hartley act in 1947.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
(music) A large division of a larger composition.
Beethoven's movements
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◉Motion
(countable) A parliamentary action to propose something. A similar procedure in any official or business meeting.
The motion to amend is now open for discussion.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
(aviation) An instance of an aircraft taking off or landing.
Albuquerque International Sunport serviced over 200,000 movements last year.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
(baseball) The deviation of a pitch from ballistic flight.
The movement on his cutter was devastating.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
(philosophy) from κίνησις (kinesis); any change. Traditionally of four types: generation and corruption, alteration, augmentation and diminution, and change of place.
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◉Movement
(bridge) A pattern in which pairs change opponents and boards move from table to table in duplicate bridge.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
Movement of the mind, desires, or passions; mental act, or impulse to any action; internal activity.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
(law) A formal request, oral or written, made to a judge or court of law to obtain an official court ruling or order for a legal action to be taken by, or on behalf of, the movant.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
(euphemistic) A movement of the bowels; the product of such movement.
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◉Movement
The act of moving in space; change of place or posture; motion; as, the movement of an army in marching or maneuvering; the movement of a wheel or a machine.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
(music) Change of pitch in successive sounds, whether in the same part or in groups of parts. (Conjunct motion is that by single degrees of the scale. Contrary motion is when parts move in opposite directions. Disjunct motion is motion by skips. Oblique motion is when one part is stationary while another moves. Similar or direct motion is when parts move in the same direction.)
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
Manner or style of moving; as, a slow, or quick, or sudden, movement.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
Transference, by any means, from one situation to another; a change of situation; progress toward a goal; advancement; as, after months of fruitless discussion there was finally some movement toward an agreement.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
(mechanical engineering) A piece of moving mechanism, such as on a steam locomotive.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
To gesture indicating a desired movement.
He motioned for me to come closer.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
A system of mechanism for transmitting motion of a definite character, or for transforming motion; as, the wheelwork of a watch; as, a seventeen jewel movement.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
A more or less organized effort by many people to achieve some goal, especially a social or artistic goal; as, the women's liberation movement; the progressive movement in architecture.
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
The act, process, or state of changing place or position; movement; the passing of a body from one place or position to another, whether voluntary or involuntary; - opposed to rest.
Speaking or mute, all comeliness and graceattends thee, and each word, each motion, forms.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
a change of position that does not entail a change of location;
the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprise
movement is a sign of life
an impatient move of his hand
gastrointestinal motility
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something
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◉Motion
Direction of movement; course; tendency; as, the motion of the planets is from west to east.
In our proper motion we ascend.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
the act of changing location from one place to another;
police controlled the motion of the crowd
the movement of people from the farms to the cities
his move put him directly in my path
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
Change in the relative position of the parts of anything; action of a machine with respect to the relative movement of its parts.
This is the great wheel to which the clock owes its motion.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
a group of people with a common ideology who try together to achieve certain general goals;
he was a charter member of the movement
politicians have to respect a mass movement
he led the national liberation front
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
Movement of the mind, desires, or passions; mental act, or impulse to any action; internal activity.
Let a good man obey every good motion rising in his heart, knowing that every such motion proceeds from God.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
a major self-contained part of a symphony or sonata;
the second movement is slow and melodic
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
A proposal or suggestion looking to action or progress; esp., a formal proposal made in a deliberative assembly; as, a motion to adjourn.
Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end;
he supported populist campaigns
they worked in the cause of world peace
the team was ready for a drive toward the pennant
the movement to end slavery
contributed to the war effort
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
An application made to a court or judge orally in open court. Its object is to obtain an order or rule directing some act to be done in favor of the applicant.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
an optical illusion of motion produced by viewing a rapid succession of still pictures of a moving object;
the cinema relies on apparent motion
the succession of flashing lights gave an illusion of movement
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
Change of pitch in successive sounds, whether in the same part or in groups of parts.
The independent motions of different parts sounding together constitute counterpoint.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
a general tendency to change (as of opinion);
not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book
a broad movement of the electorate to the right
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◉Motion
To make a significant movement or gesture, as with the hand; as, to motion to one to take a seat.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
the driving and regulating parts of a mechanism (as of a watch or clock);
it was an expensive watch with a diamond movement
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
the act of changing the location of something;
the movement of cargo onto the vessel
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
To direct or invite by a motion, as of the hand or head; as, to motion one to a seat.
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
The act of moving from one place or position to another.
The sudden movement of the cat startled the birds.
Olivia
Sep 26, 2023
◉Movement
A group of people working together to achieve a political or social goal.
The environmental movement gained traction in the 1960s.
Elijah
Sep 26, 2023
◉Motion
a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something
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May 03, 2023
◉Movement
A section or part of a musical composition.
The second movement of the symphony was particularly stirring.
William
Sep 26, 2023
◉Motion
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
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May 03, 2023
◉Motion
a change of position that does not entail a change of location;
the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprise
movement is a sign of life
an impatient move of his hand
gastrointestinal motility
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Motion
a formal proposal for action made to a deliberative assembly for discussion and vote;
he made a motion to adjourn
she called for the question
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Motion
the act of changing location from one place to another;
police controlled the motion of the crowd
the movement of people from the farms to the cities
his move put him directly in my path
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Motion
an optical illusion of motion produced by viewing a rapid succession of still pictures of a moving object;
the cinema relies on apparent motion
the succession of flashing lights gave an illusion of movement
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Motion
show, express or direct through movement;
He gestured his desire to leave
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May 03, 2023
Motion vs. Movement Frequently Asked Questions
Is "motion" always about physical movement?
No, motion can also refer to formal requests in legal contexts or emotional drives.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
Which term, motion or movement, is more specific in indicating direction?
Movement often implies direction or purpose.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
How does "movement" relate to art or culture?
Movement can describe a shift or trend in artistic or cultural expressions.
Muazma Batool
Sep 26, 2023
What's an example of "movement" in music?
In music, a movement is a self-contained section of a larger composition.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
In which fields is "motion" predominantly used?
Motion is commonly used in physics, law, and general descriptions of moving.
Henry
Sep 26, 2023
What does "motion" generally mean in a courtroom?
Motion refers to a formal proposal or request made by a party.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
Can "movement" denote something beyond physical relocation?
Yes, movement can signify broader societal, cultural, or artistic shifts.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
How is "motion" used in the realm of mechanics?
Motion describes the action or process of moving within a mechanism.
Levi
Sep 26, 2023
Is every movement a motion?
While all movements involve motion, not all motions qualify as movements with direction or intent.
Jonathan
Sep 26, 2023
Does "movement" always imply a collective effort?
No, though it can refer to collective efforts, it also denotes individual or mechanical shifts.
Leo
Sep 26, 2023
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