thematic

American  

[thee-mat-ik] / θiˈmæt ɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to a theme.

2. Grammar.

   1. (of a word or words) of, relating to, or producing a theme or themes.

   2. (of a vowel) pertaining to the theme or stem: the thematic vowel ends the stem and precedes the inflectional ending of a word form, as i in Latin audiō “I hear.”

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thematic British  

/ θɪˈmætɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or consisting of a theme or themes

2. linguistics denoting a word that is the theme of a sentence

3. grammar

   1. denoting a vowel or other sound or sequence of sounds that occurs between the root of a word and any inflectional or derivational suffixes

   2. of or relating to the stem or root of a word

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noun

1. grammar a thematic vowel

   ``-o-'' is a thematic in the combining form ``psycho-''

Other Word Forms

• nonthematic
  adjective
• unthematic
  adjective
• nonthematically
  adverb
• thematically
  adverb
• unthematically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of thematic

1690–1700; < Greek thematikós, equivalent to themat- (stem of théma theme ) + -ikos -ic

Explanation

When you visit a museum and the cat paintings are grouped together in one room, and the fruit paintings in another, you could conclude that the curator favors a thematic arrangement, meaning grouped by topic, rather than chronologically or by artist. Thematic relationships are everywhere. You could apply a thematic arrangement to your closet, putting the 1970s disco-wear in one section and your motorcycle gear in another. When you're studying the works of Charles Dickens, finding the thematic similarities across all the novels helps you remember them more easily. That song your garage band has been working on has a thematic development, too, starting with a line of melody, changing it a little, taking it in a different direction, then returning to the theme.

Example Sentences

Thematic ideologies conflict as often as the animals do.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

“Looking ahead, we anticipate a 12–18 month confirmed runway for sustained capex growth, reinforcing the long-term longevity of the AI investment cycle,” said Tejas Dessai, director of Thematic Research at Global X ETFs.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

Thematic ETFs are designed to capture emerging trends, but many launch only after a theme already has gained significant traction.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 30, 2025

Together with colleagues at the Department of Thematic Studies -- Environmental Change, Alexander Olsson has interviewed thirteen politicians and officials in Stockholm to hear their reasoning about the opportunities and risks.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2024

Thematic priorities under its current Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which also provides the framework for development partner assistance, are: macroeconomic stability; private sector competitiveness; human resource development; and good governance and civic responsibility.

From The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency