topic

[top-ik]

noun

1. a subject of conversation or discussion.

   to provide a topic for discussion.

2. the subject or theme of a discourse or of one of its parts.

   Synonyms: subject matter, thesis

3. Rhetoric, Logic.,  a general field of considerations from which arguments can be drawn.

4. Also called theme. Linguistics.,  the part of a sentence that announces the item about which the rest of the sentence communicates information, often signaled by initial position in the sentence or by a grammatical marker.

topic

/ ˈtɒpɪk /

noun

1. a subject or theme of a speech, essay, book, etc

2. a subject of conversation; item of discussion

3. (in rhetoric, logic, etc) a category or class of arguments or ideas which may be drawn on to furnish proofs

Word History and Origins

Origin of topic¹

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin topica (plural), from Greek (tà) topiká name of work by Aristotle (literally, “(things) pertaining to commonplaces),” equivalent to tóp(os) “commonplace” + -ika, neuter plural of -ikos -ic; topo-

Word History and Origins

Origin of topic¹

C16: from Latin topica translating Greek ta topika, literally: matters relating to commonplaces, title of a treatise by Aristotle, from topoi, pl of topos place, commonplace

Synonym Study

See subject.

Example Sentences

Such statements, issued after meetings of the G20 group of top economies, are designed to show where leaders agree on key topics related to the global economy.

Read more on Barron's

He had to be knowledgeable on a mile-wide range of teams and topics — or at least be able to fake it.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the draft document was not fully fledged, describing it instead as a "list of topics and options".

Read more on BBC

Thai massage therapists who did not understand English well had trouble grasping the class material, which involves anatomy and other technical topics, Kantachote said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Now there’s a topic you’d be better off avoiding over Thanksgiving dinner—that is, if you decide to go.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• affair 
• argument 
• business 
• case 
• field 
• issue 
• material 
• matter 
• point 
• problem 
• proposition 
• question 
• subject 
• theme