theme

noun

• 1the subject of a talk, piece of writing, exhibition, etc.; a topic:the theme of the sermon was reverence
• US an essay written by a school pupil on a particular subject.

• 2an idea that recurs in or pervades a work of art or literature:love and honour are the pivotal themes of the Hornblower books
• Music a prominent or frequently recurring melody or group of notes in a composition: the first violin takes up the theme high up in its register
• [usually as modifier] a piece of music that frequently recurs in or accompanies the beginning and end of a film, play, or musical:a theme song

• 3 [usually as modifier] a setting given to a restaurant, pub, or leisure venue, intended to evoke a particular country, historical period, culture, etc.:an Irish theme pub

• 4 Linguistics the first major constituent of a clause, indicating the subject matter, typically being the subject but optionally other constituents, as in ‘smitten he is not’. Contrasted with rheme.
• the stem of a noun or verb; the part to which inflections are added, especially one composed of the root and an added vowel.

• 5 historical any of the twenty-nine provinces in the Byzantine empire.

verb

• give a particular theme or setting to (a leisure venue, event, etc.):the amusement park will be themed as a Caribbean pirate stronghold (as adjective themed)a themed party