topos
[ toh-pohs, ‐pos ]
/ ˈtoʊ poʊs, ‐pɒs /
noun, plural to·poi [toh-poi] /ˈtoʊ pɔɪ/.
a convention or motif, especially in a literary work; a rhetorical convention.
Nearby words
topolski, toponarcosis, toponym, toponymic, toponymy, topos, topotype, topper, toppie, topping, topping lift
Origin of topos
First recorded in 1935–40, topos is from the Greek word (koinós) tópos ‘(common) place’
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for topos
topos
/ (ˈtɒpɒs) /
noun plural -oi (-ɔɪ)
a basic theme or concept, esp a stock topic in rhetoric
Word Origin for topos
C20: Greek, literally: place
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 topos
topos
1948, from Greek topos, literally "place."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper