Discloses are a method of and a system for identifying a motif in a graph. The graph has multiple vertices, and the vertices have one or more attributes. The method comprises the steps of, for each of the vertices that have at least a defined one attribute, identifying a set of vertices, if any, adjacent to said each vertex and having at least one specified attribute; and forming a first list comprised of said identified sets. The method comprises the further steps of determining the unique intersections of the sets of said first list; computing compact forms of the sets on said first list; and identifying a motif of the graph from said unique intersections.