1. : something (such as an important idea or subject) that is repeated throughout a book, story, etc. 2. : a single or repeated design or pattern. The wallpaper has a flower motif. [+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples.
The first part of a binomial is the generic name, the genus to which the species belongs. The second part is either called the specific name (a term used only in zoology) or the specific epithet (the term used in botany, which can also be used in zoology). usable definition of the word species and reliable methods of identifying particular species are essential for stating and testing biological theories and for measuring biodiversity, though other taxonomic levels such as families may be considered in broad-scale studies.
Updated May 24, 2015. Definition: A rhetorical term for an adjective or adjective phrase used to characterize a person or thing. Adjective: epithetic. A Homeric epithet (also known as fixed or epic) is a formulaic phrase (often a compound adjective) used habitually to characterize a person or thing (for example, blood-red sky and wine-dark sea).