theme song

American  

noun

• theme songs
  plural

1. a melody in an operetta or musical comedy so emphasized by repetition as to dominate the presentation.

2. a melody identifying or identified with a radio or television program, dance band, etc., usually played at the beginning of each program.

3. an expression, comment, or subject of conversation that a person or group uses habitually.

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theme song British  

noun

1. a melody used, esp in a film score, to set a mood, introduce a character, etc

2. another term for signature tune

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• theme songs
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of theme song

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

theme song

“She recorded the opening theme song for our series right before she blew up. We know things!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Michael and I even joked: Best TV theme song is “Friends,” right?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

Heck, Bernard Herrmann’s eerie theme song alone will outlive humanity.

From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026

For “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” he leaps and twirls around the stage performing an interpretive dance to “Moon River,” the theme song from the movie.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Then, whistling the jaunty Miss Teen Dream theme song about a world of pretty, the agent turned and disappeared into the jungle, covering any trace of his tracks.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

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