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theme

Syllabification: (theme)
Pronunciation: /THēm/
Translate theme | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of theme

noun

  • 1the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person’s thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic:the theme of the sermon was reverence a show on the theme of waste and recycling
  • Linguistics the first major constituent of a clause, indicating the subject-matter, typically being the subject but optionally other constituents, as in “poor he is not.”. Contrasted with rheme.
  • an idea that recurs in or pervades a work of art or literature.
  • Music a prominent or frequently recurring melody or group of notes in a composition.
  • [as modifier] (of music) frequently recurring in or accompanying the beginning and end of a film, play, or musical:a theme song
  • [usually as modifier] a setting given to a leisure venue or activity, intended to evoke a particular country, historical period, culture, etc.:a family fun park with a western theme a New Deal theme restaurant
  • US an essay written by a student on an assigned subject.
  • 2 Linguistics the stem of a noun or verb; the part to which inflections are added, especially one composed of the root and an added vowel.
  • 3 historical any of the twenty-nine provinces in the Byzantine empire.

verb

[with object]
  • give a particular setting or ambience to (a venue or activity): (as adjective themed)Independence Day was celebrated with special themed menus [in combination]:a golf-themed business park

Origin:

Middle English: via Old French from Latin thema, from Greek, literally 'proposition'; related to tithenai 'to set or place'

theme in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of theme in the British & World English dictionary
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