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theme - 7 dictionary results
theme
[theem] 
noun, adjective, verb, themed, them⋅ing.–noun
| 1. | a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; topic: The need for world peace was the theme of the meeting. |
| 2. | a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art. |
| 3. | a short, informal essay, esp. a school composition. |
| 4. | Music.
|
| 5. | Grammar. the element common to all or most of the forms of an inflectional paradigm, often consisting of a root with certain formative elements or modifications. Compare stem 1 (def. 16). |
| 6. | Linguistics. topic (def. 4). |
| 7. | Also, thema. an administrative division of the Byzantine Empire. |
–adjective
| 8. | having a unifying theme: a theme restaurant decorated like a spaceship. |
–verb (used with object)
| 9. | to provide with a theme. |
Origin:
1250–1300; ME teme, theme (< OF teme) < ML thema, L < Gk théma proposition, deposit, akin to tithénai to put, set down
1250–1300; ME teme, theme (< OF teme) < ML thema, L < Gk théma proposition, deposit, akin to tithénai to put, set down
Related forms:
themeless, adjective
top⋅ic
[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. |
| 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. Compare comment (def. 6). |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To theme
| theme (thēm) n.
Usage Problem To provide with a particular topic or motif. See Usage Note at themed. [Middle English teme, theme, from Old French tesme, from Latin thema, from Greek; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.] theme'less adj. |
| top·ic (tŏp'ĭk) n.
[Obsolete topic, rhetorical argument, sing. of Topics, title of a work by Aristotle, from Latin Topica, from Greek Topika, commonplaces, from neuter pl. of topikos, of a place, from topos, place.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Theme
Theme\, n. [OE. teme, OF. teme, F. th[`e]me, L. thema, Gr. ?, fr. ? to set, place. See Do, and cf. Thesis.]1. A subject or topic on which a person writes or speaks; a proposition for discussion or argument; a text. My theme is alway one and ever was. --Chaucer. And when a soldier was the theme, my name Was not far off. --Shak. 2. Discourse on a certain subject. Then ran repentance and rehearsed his theme. --Piers Plowman. It was the subject of my theme. --Shak. 3. A composition or essay required of a pupil. --Locke. 4. (Gram.) A noun or verb, not modified by inflections; also, that part of a noun or verb which remains unchanged (except by euphonic variations) in declension or conjugation; stem. 5. That by means of which a thing is done; means; instrument. [Obs.] --Swift. 6. (Mus.) The leading subject of a composition or a movement.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : theme
Spanish:
tema, asunto,
German:
das Thema,
Japanese:
主題
theme
A central idea in a piece of writing or other work of art: “The theme of desperation is found throughout his novels.” Also a short composition assigned to a student as a writing exercise.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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theme
c.1300, from O.Fr. tesme (13c., with silent -s-), from L. thema "a subject, thesis," from Gk. thema "a proposition, subject, deposit," lit. "something set down," from root of tithenai "put down, place," from PIE base *dhe- "to put, to do" (see doom). Extension to music first recorded 1674; theme song first attested 1929. Theme park is from 1960.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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