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.”

---

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

---

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

See Examples For:

thematic

“He just really gets into the score’s DNA and really has a great insight into how to arrange thematic pieces that I think help make the movies more wholesome, just being a whole thing.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

When a "thematic review" was commissioned, the families campaigned against it, saying it lacked independence and had too narrow a remit.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

Borrowing Gandalf’s hair and beard, Hugh Jackman plays the role as a worn-down elder equally given to ruthlessness and regret, setting the tone for a strange thematic mix.

From The Wall Street Journal ● 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

And today Livotny & Associates is a growing firm of twelve full-time people, which specializes in thematic restaurant design, what I still like to call “theme eating.”

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan