theme

[theem] /θim/
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, especially a school composition.
4.
Music.
  1. a principal melodic subject in a musical composition.
  2. a short melodic subject from which variations are developed.
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 stem1 (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), themed, theming.
9.
to provide with a theme.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English teme, theme (< Old French teme) < Medieval Latin thema, Latin < Greek théma proposition, deposit, akin to tithénai to put, set down
Related forms
themeless, adjective
subtheme, noun
Synonyms
1. thesis, text. See subject. 3. paper.
Examples from the web for theme
  • Water and plants carry the mountain theme throughout the garden.
  • His reluctance to make definitive public statements on the secession crisis was an ongoing theme in his remarks on this journey.
  • Even culture, symbols-metamorphosis, this transcendent theme in literature around the world.
  • Well, if today's prizes have a theme it's that of good, old fashioned fun.
  • There are variations on the drawing theme, with connect-the-dots games and coloring-in pages.
  • Only digital photographs related to our specified monthly theme will be accepted.
  • The theme of the conference is how companies can use this power for good.
  • For all its importance, the theme is only one ingredient of the finale, itself only one of four movements.
  • Though it comes in many forms, their common theme is inflammation of the tissues around a joint in the skeleton.
  • The theme of this year's conference was the information economy.
British Dictionary definitions for theme

theme

/θiːm/
noun
1.
an idea or topic expanded in a discourse, discussion, etc
2.
(in literature, music, art, etc) a unifying idea, image, or motif, repeated or developed throughout a work
3.
(music) a group of notes forming a recognizable melodic unit, often used as the basis of the musical material in a composition
4.
a short essay, esp one set as an exercise for a student
5.
(linguistics) the first major constituent of a sentence, usually but not necessarily the subject. In the sentence history I do like, "history" is the theme of the sentence, even though it is the object of the verb
6.
(grammar) another word for root1 (sense 9), stem1 (sense 9)
7.
(in the Byzantine Empire) a territorial unit consisting of several provinces under a military commander
8.
(modifier) planned or designed round one unifying subject, image, etc: a theme holiday
verb
9.
(transitive) to design, decorate, arrange, etc, in accordance with a theme
Derived Forms
themeless, adjective
Word Origin
C13: from Latin thema, from Greek: deposit, from tithenai to lay down
Word Origin and History for theme
n.

c.1300, from Old French tesme (13c., with silent -s-), from Latin thema "a subject, thesis," from Greek thema "a proposition, subject, deposit," literally "something set down," from root of tithenai "put down, place," from PIE root *dhe- "to put, to do" (see factitious). Extension to music first recorded 1670s; theme song first attested 1929. Theme park is from 1960.

theme in Culture

theme definition


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.