motes
Floating air particles
Motes are tiny particles, especially of dust floating in light: Motes danced in the sunbeam streaming through the window.
The word is literary and evocative, suggesting something almost imperceptibly small.
The biblical phrase about seeing the mote in your brother's eye uses mote to mean a speck so small it's hypocritical to criticize while ignoring your own larger faults.
Shaft of daylight
- sunlightRadiance from our star
- shimmerTremulous, wavering light
- glimmerFaint, wavering light
- twinkleShine with flickering light
dapple · sparkle · glint · radiance · glow · luminance · beam · shaft
Minute spots or particles
- particlesMinute pieces of matter
- flecksSmall spots or particles
- bitsSmall portions or pieces
- grainsSmall hard seeds
fragments · scraps · wisps · traces · pinpoints · infinitesimal · microscopic · minuscule
Minute spots or particles
- particlesMinute pieces of matter
- dustmotesMicroscopic airborne particles
- danderMicroscopic shed skin
- pollenFloral reproductive grains
spores · lint · fluff · soot · ash · debris · detritus · sediment
sunbeam
Shaft of daylight
twinkle · dapple · sparkle · glint · radiance · glow · luminance · beam · shaft · illumination
specks
Minute spots or particles
grains · fragments · scraps · wisps · traces · pinpoints · infinitesimal · microscopic · minuscule · invisible
specks
Minute spots or particles
pollen · spores · lint · fluff · soot · ash · debris · detritus · sediment · cobwebs
drift
Gradual movement, no direction
suspend · swirl · scatter · disperse · settle · currents · breeze · airborne · dancing · drifting
eye
Organ of sight
judgment · parable · scripture · sermon · fault · flaw · brother · plank · sin · criticism
- game lootgold coins, gems, crystals, coins, loot
- tiny bitsdots, dot, spots, spot, specks
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
- textile scrapsfabric scraps, lint, scraps, cuttings, clippings
- trivialitiestrivia, trifles, minutiae, small potatoes, peanuts
- nothingsnothing, zero, nil, nada, zilch
motesbeacons
Lights that guide travelers
landmarks · monuments · spectacles · prominences · eyesores
- slow motionPlayback below normal speed
- in motionCurrently changing position
- motion sicknessNausea from perceived movement
- motor oilPetroleum for machinery
- ulterior motiveConcealed purpose behind behavior
- set in motionCause to begin operating
emotion, motion, emotional, motor, promote, motive, commotion, promotion, motivation