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

Cupps named three other companies that “really live in both thematic groups — military and space.”

From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026

And in the huge market basement below will be galleries featuring permanent displays called Past Time, which will provide an overview of London's history through chronological and thematic displays.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

CEO and Chief Investment Officer Harold “Jay” Bowen III speaks with Barron’s Lauren Rublin and Andrew Bary about his thematic investment strategy and his favorite stocks.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

Whatever thematic capital “Disclosure Day” builds, it largely wastes on this gimmick and dumb action scenes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

I told him how he should do more avant- garde thematic restaurant design, to differentiate himself from the other firms.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan