the reasons for the characters actions in a story
Character motive is what did he have against something. For example, Say your character killed someone. The dectective thinks your character is the main suspect. Once he figures out that he a suspect. The dectective tries to figure out the motive of the person. He discovers the victim has put him in his will for $1 million dollars. So the motive of the character is to get the money from the will. Motive can be anything.
Motive in a story refers to the reason behind a character's actions. For example, a character may have a motive of revenge due to a past betrayal, or a motive of greed to attain wealth and power. Understanding a character's motive can drive the plot forward and add depth to their actions and decisions.
motive
"Character motive" is a noun phrase. It refers to the reason or motivation behind a character's actions or behavior in a story.
Motive
a motive is something a criminal has
A characters motive is the cause or reason for their actions and thoughts.
Motivation
He has helped show the motive.
He has helped show the motive.
identifying a motive is seeing why the person committed the crime.
I am assuming you mean as in "motivation." Motive means the determination of a certain phenomena that is not obvious.