thematic

[ thee-mat-ik ]

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.”

thematic

/ 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

noun

1. grammar a thematic vowel

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

Derived Forms

• theˈmatically, adverb

Other Words From

• the·mati·cal·ly adverb
• nonthe·matic adjective
• nonthe·mati·cal·ly adverb
• unthe·matic adjective
• unthe·mati·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of thematic¹

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

Example Sentences

When you consider how many current shows’ thematic reach exceeds their grasp, that’s kind of refreshing.

From Time

While there are some rewarding side quests that may speed along this process, needing to buy each one of the dozens of weapons in the game doesn’t seem to serve any narrative or thematic purpose besides prolonging the play time.

From Washington Post

It’s a setup rich with dramatic as well as thematic potential.

From Time

One I received about two months ago lacked the thematic optimism of the others.

From Washington Post

I think it’s going to end up being more thematic in terms of how we think about identifiers.

From Digiday

When he first pitched it to me for The Dark Knight, I liked the thematic idea, but I found it possibly a little far-fetched.

From The Daily Beast

The exhibition explores four thematic roads, the first of which is the routes of our earliest ancestors.

From The Daily Beast

Domestic violence, for example, has provided thematic fodder for generations of writers and filmmakers.

From The Daily Beast

Do you see thematic similarities between The Leftovers and Lost?

From The Daily Beast

With Do It Again, is that cohesion musical, sonic, or thematic?

From The Daily Beast

The thematic material is almost entirely derivative and imitative, of an unequaled mediocrity and depressingness.

From Project Gutenberg

There are whole passages that exist only in obedience to some scholastic demand for thematic inversions and deformations.

From Project Gutenberg

Not all of her works have been published, but all show good thematic material and an unusual sense of musical form.

From Project Gutenberg

Thematic elaboration is only hinted at, except in the well worked-out middle movement of the finale.

From Project Gutenberg

This is most obviously apparent in those parts where thematic elaboration predominates, which are richer and freer than hitherto.

From Project Gutenberg