trope

¹ American  

[trohp] / troʊp /

noun

1. Rhetoric.

   1. any literary or rhetorical device, as metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony, that consists in the use of words in other than their literal sense.

   2. an instance of this.

2. a phrase, sentence, or verse formerly interpolated in a liturgical text to amplify or embellish.

3. 1. a recurring theme or motif, as in literature or art: the heroic trope.

      the trope of motherhood;

      the heroic trope.

   2. a convention or device that establishes a predictable or stereotypical representation of a character, setting, or scenario in a creative work: The author relies on our knowledge of the Haunted House trope to set the scene.

      From her introduction in the movie, the character is nothing but a Damsel in Distress trope.

      The author relies on our knowledge of the Haunted House trope to set the scene.

4. (in the philosophy of Santayana) the principle of organization according to which matter moves to form an object during the various stages of its existence.

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-trope ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “one turned toward” that specified by the initial element (heliotrope ); also occurring in concrete nouns that correspond to abstract nouns ending in -tropy or -tropism:

   allotrope.

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trope ¹ British  

/ trəʊp /

noun

1. rhetoric a word or expression used in a figurative sense

2. an interpolation of words or music into the plainsong settings of the Roman Catholic liturgy

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-trope ² British  

combining form

1. indicating a turning towards, development in the direction of, or affinity to

   heliotrope

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Usage

What is a trope? A trope is a recurring element or a frequently used plot device in a work of literature or art.A trope can be a person, place, thing, or situation. While you might not have known the definition of trope, you likely have plenty of experience with them if you enjoy literature or art.The chosen one is a very common trope used in fantasy and science fiction stories, for example. The chosen one is a character (usually the protagonist) who is the only person in the universe who can save the day or foil the villain’s evil scheme, such as Harry Potter in J. K. Rowling’s series.Another popular trope is a MacGuffin, an object that a plot focuses on. The hero and villain might fight over it or the hero might have to find it in the hero’s quest (another trope!). The MacGuffin serves no other purpose, so details about it don’t matter. In the Indiana Jones movies, Indiana is always chasing a lost treasure that the villains also want. Because the treasure isn’t important other than because the hero and villain both want it, it’s a MacGuffin.

What does -trope mean? The combining form -trope is used like a suffix meaning “one turned outward.” It is also used in concrete nouns that correspond to abstract nouns ending in -tropy or -tropism (e.g., an allotrope is an instance of allotropy).The form -trope ultimately comes from the Greek trópos, “turn," and tropḗ, "a turning." The Greek trópos is also the source of the words trope and tropical. It’s your turn to make the connection between “turning,” figures of speech, and the tropics at our entries for the words.The combining forms -tropic and -tropous can be used as adjective forms of nouns ending with -trope, -tropy, and -tropism.Corresponding forms of -trope combined to the beginning of words are tropo- and trop-, which you learn more about at our Words That Use articles for the forms.

Etymology

Origin of trope¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin tropus “figure in rhetoric, manner of singing” from Greek trópos “turn, manner, style, figure of speech,” akin to trépein “to turn, direct, show”

Origin of -trope²

< Greek -tropos; trope, tropo-

Example Sentences

The script is filled with tired tropes and doesn’t set up Jay Dee in a way that showcases his natural presence or way with words.

From Los Angeles Times

Having named the genre, the French can claim a special connection to that loose collection of cinematic tropes we call film noir.

From The Wall Street Journal

Magazines, of course, didn’t originate the longstanding trope of a new year as a site of reinvention, clean slates, new leaves.

From Salon

"When we made 28 Days Later, it didn't feel like we were consciously trying to subvert tropes - it just felt instinctive," she says.

From BBC

He’ll be a trope, an instantly recognizable figure, to America and the world for the rest of this century and beyond.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• figure
• idea
• impression
• notion
• perception
• thought
• vision