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

Etymology

Origin of theme song

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

theme song

If you somehow missed that star turn — her first — don’t worry; she sings the theme song.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026

Fonda said she realised straight away that it wasn't just a theme song - it was an anthem.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

In 1977 she sang "Nobody Does it Better," the popular James Bond theme song from "The Spy Who Loved Me."

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

They included bricks that would play snatches of the iconic theme song and emit coin-collecting sound effects as Mario characters moved around.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

I bundled up in all of my winter gear and put on the theme song from Game of Thrones.

From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks