Motive
late Middle English: from Old French motif (adjective used as a noun), from late Latin motivus, from movere ‘to move’.
wiktionary
From Middle English motif, from Anglo-Norman motif, Middle French motif, and their source, Late Latin motivum(“motive, moving cause”), neuter of motivus(“serving to move”).
etymonline
motive (n.)
late 14c., "something brought forward, a proposition, assertion, or argument" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French motif "will, drive, motivation," noun use of adjective, literally "moving," from Medieval Latin motivus "moving, impelling," from Latin motus "a moving, motion," past participle of movere "to move" (from PIE root *meue- "to push away").
Meaning "that which inwardly moves a person to behave a certain way, mental state or force which induces an action of volition" is from early 15c. Hence "design or object one has in any action."
motive (adj.)
late 14c., "having control of motion, causing motion, having power to move someone or something," from Old French motif "moving" or directly from Medieval Latin motivus "moving, impelling," from past-participle stem of movere "to move" (from PIE root *meue- "to push away").
