theme

 
Pronunciation: /θiːm/

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

[with object]
  • 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

Origin:

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