motif vs stencil

motif

noun
  • A decorative appliqué design or figure, as of lace or velvet, used in trimming. 

  • In a nucleotide or aminoacid sequence, pattern that is widespread and has, or is conjectured to have, a biological significance. 

  • A decorative figure that is repeated in a design or pattern. 

  • A short melodic or lyrical passage that is repeated in several parts of a work. 

  • A basic element of a move in terms of why the piece moves and how it supports the fulfilment of a stipulation. 

  • The physical object or objects repeated at each point of a lattice. Usually atoms or molecules. 

  • A recurring or dominant element; an artistic theme. 

stencil

noun
  • A thin sheet, either perforated or using some other technique, with which a pattern may be produced upon a surface; a utensil that contains a perforated sheet. 

  • A two-ply master sheet for use with a mimeograph. 

  • A pattern produced using such a utensil. 

verb
  • To print with a stencil. 

How often have the words motif and stencil occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )