theme

[theem]

noun

1. a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; topic.

   The need for world peace was the theme of the meeting.

   Synonyms: text, thesis

2. a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art.

3. a short, informal essay, especially a school composition.

   Synonyms: paper

4. Music.

   1. a principal melodic subject in a musical composition.

   2. a short melodic subject from which variations are developed.

5. Grammar.,  the element common to all or most of the forms of an inflectional paradigm, often consisting of a root with certain formative elements or modifications.

6. Linguistics.,  topic.

7. Also an administrative division of the Byzantine Empire.

adjective

1. having a unifying theme.

   a theme restaurant decorated like a spaceship.

verb (used with object)

themed, theming 

1. to provide with a theme.

theme

/ θiːm /

noun

1. an idea or topic expanded in a discourse, discussion, etc

2. (in literature, music, art, etc) a unifying idea, image, or motif, repeated or developed throughout a work

3. music a group of notes forming a recognizable melodic unit, often used as the basis of the musical material in a composition

4. a short essay, esp one set as an exercise for a student

5. linguistics the first major constituent of a sentence, usually but not necessarily the subject. In the sentence history I do like, "history" is the theme of the sentence, even though it is the object of the verb

6. grammar another word for root 1 stem 1

7. (in the Byzantine Empire) a territorial unit consisting of several provinces under a military commander

8. (modifier) planned or designed round one unifying subject, image, etc

   a theme holiday

verb

1. (tr) to design, decorate, arrange, etc, in accordance with a theme

theme

1. A central idea in a piece of writing or other work of art: “The theme of desperation is found throughout his novels.” Also a short composition assigned to a student as a writing exercise.

Other Word Forms

• themeless adjective
• subtheme noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of theme¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English teme, theme (from Old French teme ), from Medieval Latin thema, Latin, from Greek théma “proposition, deposit,” akin to tithénai “to put, set down”

Word History and Origins

Origin of theme¹

C13: from Latin thema, from Greek: deposit, from tithenai to lay down

Synonym Study

See subject.

Example Sentences

That’s a pointed response to the Administration’s theme that signatories must commit to elevating merit and objective measures of accomplishment everywhere from university admissions to grade allocation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“This album explores themes of performance which I think is prevalent in the music videos and musically, in rock ’n’ roll which we also explore,” frontwoman Rowsell shares by email.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He grew up Catholic—his faith is a recurring theme throughout the book—and politically conservative, in the Californian style of the time.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In the end, Rountree wrote a short series on variations on two themes he extracted from the sketches that serve as an epilogue to the “MASS” suite.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Deal news connected to that theme has been simmering lately.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• argument 
• line 
• matter 
• motif 
• point 
• problem 
• question 
• stuff 
• subject 
• text 
• thought 
• topic