topos
[
toh
-pohs, ‐pos]
/ˈtoʊ poʊs, ‐pɒs/
noun
,
plural
topoi
[
toh
-poi]
/ˈtoʊ pɔɪ/
(
Show IPA
)
1.
a convention or motif, especially in a literary work; a rhetorical convention.
Origin
1935-40;
<
Greek
(koinós) tópos
‘(common) place’
British Dictionary definitions for
topos
topos
/
ˈtɒpɒs
/
noun
(
pl
)
-oi
(
-ɔɪ
)
1.
a basic theme or concept, esp a stock topic in rhetoric
Word Origin
C20: Greek, literally: place
Word Origin and History for
topos
n.
1948, from Greek
topos
, literally "place."