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"
A state of progression from one place to another.
"The motion of the train through the tunnel felt like it was happening in slow motion."
In plain English: Motion is the act of moving from one place to another.
"The security alarm was triggered by an unauthorized motion in the hallway."
Usage: Use "motion" to describe the physical act of moving or the state of being in motion, such as when a car travels down the road. Do not use it to mean a formal proposal or request for action, which is correctly spelled "motion" but often confused with "movement" in casual speech.
show, express or direct through movement
"He gestured his desire to leave"
To gesture indicating a desired movement.
"She made a sweeping motion with her hand to indicate that he should follow her out of the room."
In plain English: To move from one place to another.
"Please make sure to file a motion with the court before the hearing begins."
Usage: Use motion as a verb when you physically gesture with your hand to signal someone to move or act, such as waving at a taxi driver. Do not use it to describe the abstract concept of making a formal request, which belongs in legal contexts rather than everyday speech.
The word "motion" traveled into English from the Anglo-Norman and Middle French languages, where it was borrowed from Latin. Originally meaning movement or action, it is ultimately related to the ancient root for "to move."