topic
[ top-ik ]
/ ˈtɒp ɪk /
noun
a subject of conversation or discussion: to provide a topic for discussion.
the subject or theme of a discourse or of one of its parts.
Rhetoric, Logic. a general field of considerations from which arguments can be drawn.
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.Compare comment(def 7).
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Nearby words
tophet, topheth, tophus, topi, topiary, topic, topic sentence, topical, topical anesthesia, topicality, topicalize
Origin of topic
SYNONYMS FOR topic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for topic
British Dictionary definitions for topic
topic
/ (ˈtɒpɪk) /
noun
a subject or theme of a speech, essay, book, etc
a subject of conversation; item of discussion
(in rhetoric, logic, etc) a category or class of arguments or ideas which may be drawn on to furnish proofs
Word Origin for topic
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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for topic
topic
1630s, "argument suitable for debate," singular form of "Topics" (1560s), the name of a work by Aristotle on logical and rhetorical generalities, from Latin Topica, from Greek Ta Topika, literally "matters concerning topoi," from topoi "commonplaces," neuter plural of topikos "commonplace, of a place," from topos "place" (see topos). The meaning "matter treated in speech or writing, subject, theme" is first recorded 1720.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper