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

The weight disparity, with Benn jumping up two divisions for this contest, has been a hot topic in the build-up to both fights.

Read more on BBC

Black said that, among other topics, the gathering would look at the environmental damage wrought by the tobacco industry and its products.

Read more on Barron's

As the conflict approaches the four-year mark, military-style training and war topics are embedded in Russia’s school curriculum, while the budget for such programs has ballooned as the focus has turned to the youngest grades.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

You simply had to find the right topic.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

We will know more about the explicit course of Catholic thought on AI if Leo issues a much-rumored encyclical on the topic.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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