theme
pronunciation
How to pronounce theme in British English:
UK [θiːm]
How to pronounce theme in American English:
US [θiːm]
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- Noun:
- the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
- a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work
- (music) melodic subject of a musical composition
- an essay (especially one written as an assignment)
- (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed
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- Verb:
- provide with a particular theme or motive
Word Origin
- theme
- theme: [13] Greek théma denoted etymologically ‘something placed’, hence a ‘proposition’ (it was formed from the base *the-, source also of tithénai ‘place, put’ and distant relative of English do). English acquired the word via Latin thēma and Old French *teme as teme, but soon reverted to the Latin spelling.=> do
- theme (n.)
- early 14c., "subject or topic on which a person writes or speaks," from Old French tesme (13c., with silent -s- "indicating vowel length" [OED], Modern French thème) and directly 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 *dhe-mn, from root *dhe- "to put, to do" (see factitious). Meaning "school essay" is from 1540s. Extension to music first recorded 1670s; theme song first attested 1929. Theme park is from 1960.
Example
- 1. The importance of trade is another theme .
- 2. The gathering 's worthy official theme was to promote employment .
- 3. Barclays says the food theme goes beyond food itself .
- 4. They made localisation their theme song .
- 5. Once you 've answered this one , try some variations on the theme .