topic

A1 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈtɑpɪk/ UK /ˈtɒpɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #6151

Meanings

1

noun
A subject that people talk, write, or learn about.

The topic of today's lesson is climate change.
2

noun
A thread or section of discussion in an online forum.

Please report any bugs in the relevant forum topic.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a subject that people talk,... subject theme

Word family

Forms topics

Derived forms metatopicoff-topicon-topicsubtopicsupertopictopical

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

hot topic
a subject currently attracting strong interest or discussion

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Topic entered English in the late Middle English period from Latin topica, derived from Greek ta topika, literally “matters concerning commonplaces.” It first referred to a set or book of general rules or ideas and was also used in logic and rhetoric for an argument applicable in most, though not all, cases.

Etymology

From Latin topica, from Ancient Greek τοπικός (topikós, “pertaining to a place, local, pertaining to a common place, or topic, topical”), from τόπος (tópos, “a place”).

topica Latin τοπικός Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society

External links

# topic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈtɑpɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈtɒpɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 6151

## Meanings
1. A subject that people talk, write, or learn about.
2. A thread or section of discussion in an online forum.

## Examples
- The topic of today's lesson is climate change.
- Please report any bugs in the relevant forum topic.

## Derived Forms
- metatopic
- off-topic
- on-topic
- subtopic
- supertopic
- topical

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: topica
- Root: τοπικός

## Etymology
From Latin topica, from Ancient Greek τοπικός (topikós, “pertaining to a place, local, pertaining to a common place, or topic, topical”), from τόπος (tópos, “a place”).

## AI Etymology
Topic is from Latin topica, from Ancient Greek τοπικός (topikós, “pertaining to a place, local, pertaining to a common place, or topic, topical”), from τόπος (tópos, “a place”). The historical line also includes Latin topica, Ancient Greek τοπικός. In present-day use, it can mean a subject that people talk, write, or learn about, or a thread or section of discussion in an online forum. Derived formations include metatopic, off-topic, on-topic, subtopic, supertopic, topical.

## Topics
- People & Society

markdown