theme

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The main subject or idea of a book, film, talk, or piece of art.

   Love and loss are the main themes of the novel.

2. 2
   noun

   A short tune that is repeated in a piece of music or is linked to a film or show.

   Everyone recognized the theme from the famous movie.

3. 3
   verb

   To design something around a particular subject or idea.

   We themed the birthday party around superheroes.

From Middle English teme, from Old French teme, tesme (French thème), from Latin thema, from Ancient Greek θέμα (théma), from τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put, place”), reduplicative from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put, place, do”) (whence also English do). Doublet of thema.

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