What is the meaning of the word theme

1

a

: a subject or topic of discourse or of artistic representation

guilt and punishment is the theme of the story

b

: a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic, or concern

the campaign has lacked a theme

2

: a melodic subject of a musical composition or movement

Synonyms

Example Sentences

If one theme unites his scholarship it is that the Old South cannot be viewed as a monolith.


Eric Foner, New York Times Book Review, 8 Apr. 2007


One reiterated theme of his book is that the electoral process can be the most dangerous of delusions, tending to confer a spurious legitimacy on those most willing to corrupt it.


Hilary Mantel, New York Review, 21 Sept. 2006


The Eve of biblical legend was a temptress, thus initiating a lamentable theme in the history of sexism.


Stephen Jay Gould, Discover, July 1992



The quest for power is the underlying theme of the film.



A constant theme in his novels is religion.



The playwright skillfully brings together various themes.



The album focuses on themes of love and loss.



Adventures are popular themes in children’s books.



The growing deficit was a dominant theme in the election.



The party had a Hawaiian luau theme.



They played the theme from the movie “Rocky.”

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Recent Examples on the Web

The Avondale subdivision was named for Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare’s hometown, and the surrounding streets held to the same theme.


Katharine Jose, Chron, 26 Mar. 2023





Three of the Gadbois teams made the top five after the rhythm dance, set this season to a Latin theme.


Joyce Rubin, Vogue, 24 Mar. 2023





The stage shows accompanying the album releases grew increasingly elaborate, culminating in the P-Funk Earth Tour, which began in 1976, continued for several years and featured an outer-space theme, including an onstage spaceship.


Neil Genzlinger, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2023





Wouldn’t this be cool for a show that is a blend of Broadway and television to have this climax that is a trope from Broadway — the finale — and a trope from television — the main title theme — all wrapped into one?


Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 23 Mar. 2023





But another grand theme slowly emerges in these conversations: the tension between the superficial civilization of humankind and our innate barbarism.


Michael O’sullivan, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023





The conflation of data privacy concerns—that is, the surveillant threat posed by Beijing—and the ways in which TikTok fails its underaged users was a theme throughout the hearing, with both topics puzzlingly discussed interchangeably.


WIRED, 23 Mar. 2023





Each night, there’ll be a different musical theme for the stage’s closing DJ.


Journal Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2023





Each section has a specific theme, like an 1960s atomic age kitchen, a ’70s disco vibe den for Ken, and an ’80s glam bedroom.


Brandon Livesay, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2023



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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘theme.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English teme, theme, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin thema, from Greek, literally, something laid down, from tithenai to place — more at do

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of theme was
in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near theme

Cite this Entry

“Theme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theme. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

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More from Merriam-Webster on theme

Last Updated:
29 Mar 2023
— Updated example sentences

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

What is theme? Themes are a way of organizing and categorizing the things you do. A theme is what unites your work or gives it meaning.

In cinema, a theme is a central idea that the film is built around.

Themes can be anything, from an idea to a color concept. In this article, we’ll talk about how themes define movies (and other forms of story) and why you should think seriously about theme when you’re creating a narrative work.

WHAT IS THEME

What Is Theme?

Theme definition is an element in writing that can be difficult to define.

The word ‘theme’ comes from the Greek ‘thema’ meaning a subject, and it is often used interchangeably with the term ‘subject.’

Theme can also refer to the central idea of a work of art or literary text.

What Is Theme?

What is a theme? A theme can be defined as an idea that recurs in different forms in a work of art, literature, or music.

Themes are often abstract concepts, such as love and death but they can also take on more tangible forms like home and family, for example.

A good blog post should have an interesting intro paragraph that makes people want to continue reading it!

What Does Theme Mean In Literature And Film?

What is a theme? A theme is the central idea or point of a literary work. Themes are often quite complex and may be difficult to pinpoint. They can be moral, philosophical, emotional, social, etc.

Themes In Literature

Some examples of themes from famous novels are “Man’s struggle with nature” (Lord Of The Flies), “The human condition” (to kill a mockingbird), and “The woman question” (Jane Eyre).

Themes In Film

A good example of this would be ‘Toy Story’, where Woody’s main goal throughout the film is to keep Andy happy by entertaining him with his toys while he grows up.

What does a theme mean in literature and film?

A theme is the central idea or point that a work of art is trying to convey. Themes can be anything from love, war, death, etc. In literature and film, themes are often conveyed through symbolism and character development.

For example:

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, “The Lord of the Rings,” he uses various symbols, such as Aragorn’s sword, Narsil, to represent hope for mankind’s future, and Gandalf represents wisdom while Sauron symbolizes evil power.

During this period of time (the 1940s), films were used as propaganda to promote patriotism for America during World War II. Films like “Mrs. Miniver” show how families cope with wartime life while also

What does a theme mean in literature and film? A theme is a central idea or topic explored in a literary work or film.

What Is Theme

In literature, a theme often refers to ideas that are common topics of discussion at the time it was written.

For example, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, deals with themes like decadence and societal change during the era of American history known as ‘The Roaring Twenties’.

In films, filmmakers use symbolism to explore their thematic ideas through visual images and dialogue. One example is how Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 thriller “Vertigo” explores the concept of fear through its many twists and turns throughout the storyline.

The word “theme” is used in many different contexts but when it comes to literature and film, the term refers to a central idea. What does a theme mean in these two genres? Let’s explore this question together.

Major Theme Examples

What are some major themes that have been used in past literature?

In this blog post, we explore some of the most common major themes in literature.

Themes are used to convey a message or idea through symbolism or characterization. Themes may also be expressed through settings and plot development.

Some common themes in literature are coming of age, self-discovery, good versus evil, and love conquers all.

A theme is one of the most basic elements of a story and can manifest itself in many different forms. Themes are often abstract concepts that take on an emotional or moral significance through their representation in a literary work.

Some common themes have been used throughout literature, such as love, death, power, and faith.

Also, more obscure themes have been explored, such as:

  • food, which can be used symbolically to represent society’s obsession with materialism or lust for power; or
  • climate change (i.e., An Inconvenient Truth), which may serve as a warning about potential ecological disaster if we continue our current lifestyle habits unchecked into the future.

I’m going to talk about major themes in literature and their examples. I’ll start by talking about the theme of love.

Romance is a common theme in novels but it’s not always the most interesting or gripping one.

For example, The Great Gatsby takes place during the 1920s when America was experiencing an economic boom that made life seem like a party for some people while others struggled with poverty and unemployment.

Despite this period of time being ripe with drama, Fitzgerald chose to focus on Nick Carraway’s complicated relationship with his neighbor Tom Buchanan, who is married to Daisy Buchanan; Daisy is Nick’s cousin whom he has loved since childhood.

Minor Theme Examples

A theme is an integral part of any story that can be as small or large as the author wants. Some authors choose to include themes in their stories and others don’t but themes usually have a place in some way.

This blog post will give you examples of minor themes found within three different books: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and Lord Of The Flies by William Golding.

The Minor Theme Examples blog post is an informative and concise introduction to the basics of minor themes. The post contains a list of examples, as well as a description of what they are, how minor themes work in general, and their role in literature.

Minor Theme Examples is a blog post that talks about some of the more common minor themes in movies.

It’s important to note that this isn’t an exhaustive list and there are many more examples than those listed here.


 

For example, Thelma and Louise could be considered a double-minor theme because it’s really two distinct stories with one connecting thread: the bond between women.

One of the best ways to make your blog more interesting and captivating is by adding minor themes.

These are topics that you don’t want to focus on but can be briefly mentioned throughout the post.

You may want to mention or discuss a minor theme if it relates closely to what you’re talking about in your post.

It’s also good for mentioning something that might not have been much of an issue before but now has become an issue because of a recent occurrence in society (e.g., how people are dealing with money these days).

What Is The Theme Of A Story?

To write a blog post intro paragraph, it’s important to understand what the theme of a story means. The theme of a story is an idea or message that is explored throughout the text.

A theme can be as simple as “love conquers all” or more complex as “the power of love.” It’s important to consider what your audience might want and need when considering your topic for the blog post intro paragraph.

Do you know the theme of the story? The theme is often at the heart of any given piece and can be used to determine its meaning. A few themes are environmentalism, love, loss, and powerlessness, to name a few.

What is the theme of a story? A story’s theme usually revolves around a moral or a lesson. It can be anything from “The more you know about what you’re doing, the better your chances are at being successful” to “Don’t let anyone tell you can’t do something.”

A theme is an incredibly important part of storytelling because it determines how people will remember the work.

A story is a sequence of events that are linked by causality, time, and/or space. The theme in any given story is the idea or central message it tries to convey.

What Is An Example Of A Theme?

A theme is a word that often goes misunderstood. When people think of a theme, they often think of the colors and decorations used in a room or event.

Themes can be much more than this though, as they are an idea or topic that ties together different aspects of your life.

Many people like to write about themselves and what they’re passionate about. It’s a great way for them to develop their voice and connect with an audience but it can be difficult creating new ideas all the time.

The answer is simple; create your own theme! A blog post can have one or more themes present throughout its content, which provides readers with a sense of familiarity when they come back again and again.

A theme is a word or phrase that captures the essence of what you are writing about. It can be something literal like “love” or “dangerous animals” but it can also be an abstract idea, such as “the pursuit of happiness.”

Themes are important because they help readers understand your message and identify with your topic.

A theme is a unifying concept or idea that connects the story’s plot, characters, and setting.

They can be used to explore important aspects of life, such as love, death, honor, and betrayal.

Some common themes in literature are family relationships and coming-of-age stories.

How Are Major Themes Used?

There are many ways to use major themes in a blog post. One way to do this is by exploring the theme through different perspectives. This can include looking at how a character, place, object, or event responds and reacts to the theme.

Another technique for using major themes is by exploring what makes them so important in society or culture today.

Another way of examining a major theme in an informative tone would be highlighting some facts about it that might not be well known, such as why it’s important, how we’re currently experiencing it, etc.

A blogger may also look at what effects it has on society and/or individuals who experience it as well as explore its origins and history.

Three major themes serve as the foundation for all stories. These include a character’s journey, an idea, and conflict. All three of these components work together to create an engaging story.

For those who are not familiar with what a major theme is, it’s the central idea of a work that runs throughout the entirety of its narrative.

It’s typically seen as an exploration of this one idea and how it affects different people in their lives.

A well-known example would be Romeo and Juliet. The play explores love and the effects on society when young lovers die tragically.

Major themes are used to represent the underlying meaning of a text. Major themes can be found in anything from literature, film and television, music, art, or even advertising.

Themes such as love or death often come up in movies and books alike because they’re universal topics that everyone deals with at one point or another.

These types of major themes can also demonstrate what an author is trying to convey to their audience through symbolism and imagery.

How Are Minor Themes Used?

A minor theme is a recurring element in a story that doesn’t have as much significance to the plot.

Minor themes can be used anywhere and, oftentimes, they are used for highlighting or contrasting major themes, such as love and hate. In this post, I’ll discuss some ways minor themes can be used to create an interesting story.

Some would say that films are all about the big moments but what defines a film is not just its highs and lows. A film can also be defined by the smaller themes present throughout it.

These minor themes can often be overlooked in favor of more prominent events but they do add depth to a story and help to round out the characters.

It’s a common misconception that minor themes are an easy way to tackle the “bigger” issues in life.

However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Minor themes can often be some of the most difficult problems to solve because they’re so ingrained into our everyday lives and we don’t even realize it!

In the world of literature, it’s often difficult to find a story that doesn’t include some form of conflict.

However, while many authors use larger-scale conflicts such as man versus nature or man versus society in their stories, there are also smaller-scale conflicts called minor themes that can be used for effective storytelling just as much as any using other types of conflict.

What Is The Theme Of Schindler’s List?

Schindler’s List is a 1993 American historical drama film about Oskar Schindler, an ethnic German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories thus, keeping them from being killed in Nazi concentration camps during the war.

It’s an epic historical drama directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, based on the novel Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally.

It tells the story of Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a German businessman who saved the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during The Holocaust by employing them in his factories.

How is it possible for a man to save so many people during World War II?

This question has been asked by many and studied by historians.

The answer, in the words of Oskar Schindler, “is really very simple.” It was love; pure unadulterated love that enabled him to do what he did.

What Is Theme – Wrap Up: Tools For Screenwriters

The most important tool for any screenwriter is their ability to tell a story. But there are other tools available that can help you on your journey!

Whether it’s research, brainstorming, or just getting the words down on paper, we have some handy tips and tricks for you.

Screenplays are a form of specialized writing that is meant to be read by theater actors. As opposed to novels, screenplays are written in less detail and can contain dialogue and sound effects.

Writing scripts require a lot of research about the story being told, as well as knowledge about stage directions and formatting for each scene.

Think about your favorite movie. Now imagine the scenes you love most, but without sound.

The reality is that much of what we watch on screen relies heavily on audio for storytelling and emotional impact.

To create compelling stories in film or television, writers must be aware of the power of dialogue and music to move their audience emotionally.


 

Screenwriters have been working for decades to hone their craft. One of the most important steps in this process is writing a good screenplay.

But what defines a “good screenplay?” There are many tools and resources available to screenwriters but it can be difficult to know which ones will actually help you create the story you want to tell.

Look up theme in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Theme or themes may refer to:

  • Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work
  • Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos
  • Theme (computing), a custom graphical appearance for certain software.
  • Theme (linguistics), topic
  • Theme (narrative)
  • Theme Building, a landmark building in the Los Angeles International Airport
  • Theme music a piece often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game, or film, and usually played during the intro, opening credits, or ending credits
  • Theme vowel or thematic vowel, a vowel placed before the word ending in certain Proto-Indo-European words
  • Subject (music), sometimes called theme, a musical idea, usually a recognizable melody, upon which part or all of a composition is based

MediaEdit

  • Theme (album), by Leslie West
  • Theme (magazine)
  • The Theme, a 1979 Soviet film
  • «Theme,» by Flying Lotus, from the album You’re Dead!
  • «The Theme (It’s Party Time),» a 1997 song by Tracey Lee
  • Themes (Clannad album), 1992
  • Themes (Vangelis album), 1989
  • Themes (Silent Stream of Godless Elegy album), 2000

See alsoEdit

  • Thema (disambiguation)
  • All pages with titles beginning with Theme
  • All pages with titles containing Theme

What do we mean by theme?

A topic of discourse or discussion. synonym: subject. noun

A subject of artistic representation. noun

An implicit or recurrent idea; a motif. noun

A short composition assigned to a student as a writing exercise. noun

A recurring melodic element in a composition, especially a melody forming the basis of a set of variations. noun

A stem. noun

In astrology, a figure of nativity. noun

A subject or topic on which a person writes or speaks; anything proposed as a subject of discourse or discussion. noun

That which is said or thought on a given topic. noun

Question; subject; matter. noun

A short dissertation composed by a student on a given subject; a brief essay; a school composition; a thesis. noun

In philology, the part of a noun or verb to which inflectional endings are added; stem; base. noun

In music, same as subject. The term is sometimes extended to a short melody from which a set of variations is developed. noun

That by which a thing is done; an instrument; a means. noun

A division for the purpose of provincial administration under the Byzantine empire. There were twenty-nine themes, twelve in Europe and seventeen in Asia. Also thema. noun

In logic, same as thema, 3. noun

A subject or topic on which a person writes or speaks; a proposition for discussion or argument; a text. noun

Discourse on a certain subject. noun

A subject of a talk or an artistic piece; a topic.

A recurring idea; a motif.

An essay written for school.

The main melody of a piece of music, especially one that is the source of variations.

A song, or a snippet of a song, that identifies a film, a TV program, a character, etc. by playing at the appropriate time.

The collection of color schemes, sounds, artwork etc., that «skin» an environment towards a particular motif.

(grammar) The stem of a word.

Thematic relation of a noun phrase to a verb.

Theta role in generative grammar and government and binding theory.

Topic, what is generally being talked about, as opposed to rheme.

A regional unit of organisation in the Byzantine empire.

The person who says this will automatically render themselves one who enjoys being ragged in the arse Urban Dictionary

Themeli is a Greek name which comes from the island of Kalymnos .
Themeli’s are known to be strong, handsom, hardworking and will never refuse to help out a freind Urban Dictionary

Created in 2004, the first group of words written on top of a scroll. This usually sets up the pace and highlights the main pieces of the scroll. Typically, themes will reflect the general shape of the scroll that is being written on. Urban Dictionary

Something you can have or obtain. Theme is a unique sense of being, of self and of style. It takes a high level of awesomeness to gain and is very rare. People can most easily get theme in that one kickass outfit with good music and nice lighting. Urban Dictionary

Wanting something very badly; Jonesing for drugs, especially heroin. fiending Urban Dictionary

The ability to express oneself in either the art of graffiti, rap, skateboarding or shouting Urban Dictionary

Music that is put on during such a pure mood, that goes absolutely perfect with what you’re feeling at the moment. Urban Dictionary

Guile’s theme song from the Street Fighter game series. It sounds awesome, and it goes well with everything. Urban Dictionary

That moment when a song or a situation occurs that you don’t like, but you go with it and have fun doing it! To rise to the occasion!! Having the most fun!!! Making the most out of a scenario! Urban Dictionary

A song that is unique to every individual — a song that speaks about your personality and makes you want to get your groove on. Yes, I said get your groove on. A particular theme song is one that makes the person feel amazing when it is played. Urban Dictionary

  • 1
    theme

    1) те́ма, предме́т (разговора, сочинения)

    3)

    амер.

    сочине́ние на за́данную те́му

    Англо-русский словарь Мюллера > theme

  • 2
    theme

    Персональный Сократ > theme

  • 3
    theme

    1. n тема; предмет

    2. n основная мысль; характерная черта

    3. n школ. сочинение на заданную тему

    4. n грам. основа

    5. n радио позывные

    6. n ист. провинция Византийской империи

    7. n положение звёзд в момент рождения человека

    Синонимический ряд:

    1. essay (noun) article; composition; dissertation; essay; paper; treatise

    2. melody (noun) leitmotif; melody; motif; song; strain

    3. topic (noun) argument; focus; head; ideas; issue; matter; moral; motive; point; proposition; subject; subject matter; text; thesis; topic

    English-Russian base dictionary > theme

  • 4
    theme

    [θi:m]

    1. тема; предмет ()

    2. основная мысль; характерная черта

    3.

    сочинение на заданную тему

    theme song — а) повторяющаяся мелодия; лейтмотив; б) = 7

    7.

    позывные (

    theme song)

    8.

    провинция Византийской империи

    9. положение звёзд в момент рождения человека ()

    НБАРС > theme

  • 5
    theme

    тема
    имя существительное:

    Англо-русский синонимический словарь > theme

  • 6
    theme

    English-Russian big medical dictionary > theme

  • 7
    theme

    Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > theme

  • 8
    theme

    [θiːm]

    сущ.

    1) тема, предмет, вопрос

    basic / dominant theme — главная тема

    Syn:

    2)

    а) основная мысль; лейтмотив

    Syn:

    3)

    амер.

    сочинение на заданную тему

    Syn:

    5)

    ; = theme song позывные

    Англо-русский современный словарь > theme

  • 9
    THEME

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > THEME

  • 10
    theme

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > theme

  • 11
    theme

    [θiːm]

    тема, предмет, вопрос

    основная мысль; лейтмотив

    тема

    основа

    тема

    Англо-русский большой универсальный переводческий словарь > theme

  • 12
    theme

    б) раздел; рубрика

    в) исход, данное, известное

    г) главная идея; лейтмотив

    English-Russian electronics dictionary > theme

  • 13
    theme

    n

    1) тема, предмет

    2) основная мысль; характерная черта

    English-russian dctionary of diplomacy > theme

  • 14
    theme

    The Americanisms. English-Russian dictionary. > theme

  • 15
    theme

    Англо-русский словарь по рекламе > theme

  • 16
    theme

    тема;

    1) theme song — позывные

    a) His works often draw on themes from Silesian and Polish folk music — В его сочинениях часто используются мелодии, заимствованные из силезской и польской народной музыки

    English-Russian dictionary of musical terminology > theme

  • 17
    theme

    Англо-русский технический словарь > theme

  • 18
    theme

    1. тема, предмет;

    2. основная мысль; характерная черта;

    3. основная литературно-художественная проблема;

    4. музыкальное настроение.

    * * *

    сущ.

    1) тема, предмет;

    2) основная мысль; характерная черта;

    3) основная литературно-художественная проблема;

    4) музыкальное настроение.

    Англо-русский словарь по социологии > theme

  • 19
    theme

    noun

    1) тема, предмет (разговора, сочинения)

    2)

    amer.

    сочинение на заданную тему

    5) radio позывные

    Syn:

    composition

    * * *

    * * *

    * * *

    [ θɪːm]
    тема, предмет, сочинение на заданную тему, основа, позывные

    * * *

    предмет

    тема

    * * *

    1) тема, предмет, вопрос (обсуждения, лекции и т.п.)
    2) а) основная мысль; лейтмотив
    б) муз. тема
    3) амер. сочинение на заданную тему

    Новый англо-русский словарь > theme

  • 20
    theme

    2. тема школьного сочинения/реферата

    США. Лингвострановедческий англо-русский словарь > theme

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См. также в других словарях:

  • thème — [ tɛm ] n. m. • 1538, surtout didact. jusqu au XIXe; tesme 1265; lat. thema, mot gr., littéralt « ce qui est posé » 1 ♦ Sujet, idée, proposition qu on développe (dans un discours, un ouvrage didactique ou littéraire). ⇒ fond, idée, 3. sujet.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Theme — may refer to:The arts* Theme (music), the initial or principal melody in a musical piece * Theme (literature), the unifying subject or idea of a story * Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of a visual work * Theme music, signature music… …   Wikipedia

  • Theme — Thème Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Théme — Thème Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom …   Wikipédia en Français

  • theme — W2S2 [θi:m] n ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(subject)¦ 2 theme music/song/tune 3¦(repeated tune)¦ 4¦(style)¦ 5¦(piece of writing)¦ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [Date: 1200 1300; : Latin; Origin: thema, from Greek, something laid down, theme , from tithenai …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • theme — THEME. s. m. Texte tiré de l Escriture, qu un Predicateur prend pour sujet de son sermon, & par lequel il le commence. Il a pris un beau theme. il n a pas bien choisi, bien suivi son theme. c est là son theme. Theme, se dit aussi, De ce qu on… …   Dictionnaire de l’Académie française

  • theme — [ θim ] noun count *** 1. ) the main subject of something such as a book, speech, art exhibit, or discussion: theme of: Love and honor are the main themes of the book. a recurrent/recurring theme (=one that occurs several times): Musical… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Theme — Theme, n. [OE. teme, OF. teme, F. th[ e]me, L. thema, Gr. ?, fr. ? to set, place. See {Do}, and cf. {Thesis}.] 1. A subject or topic on which a person writes or speaks; a proposition for discussion or argument; a text. [1913 Webster] My theme is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • theme — [thēm] n. [ME < OFr & L: OFr teme < L thema < Gr, what is laid down < base of tithenai, to put, place: see DO1] 1. a) a topic or subject, as of a lecture, sermon, essay, etc. b) a recurring, unifying subject or idea; motif, often one… …   English World dictionary

  • theme — (n.) c.1300, from O.Fr. tesme (13c., with silent s ), from L. thema a subject, thesis, from Gk. thema a proposition, subject, deposit, lit. something set down, from root of tithenai put down, place, from PIE root *dhe to put, to do (see… …   Etymology dictionary

  • thème — THÈME: Au collège, prouve l application, comme la version prouve l intelligence. Mais dans le monde il faut rire des forts en thème …   Dictionnaire des idées reçues

тема, предмет, позывные, сочинение на заданную тему, основа

существительное

- тема; предмет (разговора, рассуждения, сочинения)

- основная мысль; характерная черта
- школ. сочинение на заданную тему

to write a (school) theme — написать (школьное) сочинение

- муз. тема

second theme — побочная тема
variations on a theme — вариации на какую-л. тему
theme song — а) повторяющаяся мелодия; лейтмотив; б) = 7
to vary the theme — варьировать тему

- грам. основа
- лингв. тема
- радио позывные (тж. theme song)
- ист. провинция Византийской империи
- положение звёзд в момент рождения человека (в астрологии)

Мои примеры

Словосочетания

plans to plunk a theme park on the island — планы «забабахать» на острове тематический парк отдыха с аттракционами  
unimaginative development of a musical theme — незамысловатое развитие музыкальной темы  
the play’s dateless theme — всегда современная тема пьесы  
to handle a certain theme ironically — представлять конкретную тему в ироническом свете  
to keep harping on the same old theme — продолжать говорить на ту же самую тему  
basic / dominant theme — главная тема  
contemporary theme — современная тема  
topical theme — актуальная тема  
underlying theme — подтекст  
recurring theme — повторяющаяся тема  
theme park — тематический парк  
subsidiary theme — побочная тема  

Примеры с переводом

A common theme connects the stories.

Эти рассказы связаны общей темой.

She wove the story around a specific theme.

Её рассказ крутился вокруг одной конкретной темы.

Her bedroom is decorated in a Victorian theme.

Её спальня оформлена в викторианском стиле.

Desire is a common theme in music and literature.

Страсть является общей темой для музыки и литературы.

Love is a recurring theme in the book.

Тема любви постоянно звучит в этой книге.

The quest for power is the underlying theme of the film.

Стремление к власти является основной темой фильма.

Freia’s theme in Wagner’s opera

Тема Фреи в опере Вагнера

ещё 23 примера свернуть

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

They played the theme from the movie “Rocky.”

This same theme is picked up in his later works.

…an ice cream parlor with an old-timey theme…

Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке , напротив примера.

Формы слова

noun
ед. ч.(singular): theme
мн. ч.(plural): themes

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /θiːm/
  • Hyphenation: theme
  • Rhymes: -iːm (for all senses)
  • Rhymes: -iːmi (for the sense dealing with the Byzantine empire only) (Can we verify(+) this pronunciation?)

Noun[edit]

theme (plural themes)

  1. A subject, now especially of a talk or an artistic piece; a topic.
    • 1828, James Hogg, Mary Burnet
      «Had not you once a beautiful daughter, named Mary?» said the stranger.
      «It is a heartrending question, man,» said Andrew; «but certes, I had once a beloved daughter named Mary.»
      «What became of her?» asked the stranger.
      Andrew shook his head, turned round, and began to move away; it was a theme that his heart could not brook.
  2. A recurring idea; a motif.
    1. A concept with multiple instantiations.

      variations on the theme of entrepreneurial resourcefulness

    2. Any of various colors, or color palettes, in which a design is offered; (graphical user interface) any of various skins for an app, affecting the visuals and perhaps other elements such as sound effects.

      switch to a dark theme to conserve battery power

      Synonym: colorway
  3. (dated) An essay written for school.
    • 1917, James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man:

      Father Dolan came in today and pandied me because I was not writing my theme.

    • 1979, Tri-Quarterly (issues 46-47, page 273)
      [] his themes and exercises were in constant demand for what we called cogging and American students rather grandly called plagiarization.
  4. (music) The main melody of a piece of music, especially one that is the source of variations.
  5. (film, television) A song, or a snippet of a song, that identifies a film, a TV program, a character, etc. by playing at the appropriate time.
  6. (grammar) The stem of a word.
  7. (linguistics) thematic relation of a noun phrase to a verb.
  8. (linguistics) Theta role in generative grammar and government and binding theory.
  9. (linguistics) Topic, what is generally being talked about, as opposed to rheme.
  10. A regional unit of organisation in the Byzantine empire.

[edit]

  • thema
  • thematic
  • theme music
  • theme park
  • theme song
  • theme tune

Translations[edit]

subject of a talk or an artistic piece

  • Albanian: temë (sq) f
  • Arabic: مَوْضُوع (ar) m (mawḍūʕ)
  • Armenian: թեմա (hy) (tʿema)
  • Azerbaijani: mövzu (az), tema (az)
  • Belarusian: тэ́ма f (téma)
  • Bengali: বিষয় (bn) (biśoẏ)
  • Bulgarian: те́ма (bg) f (téma)
  • Burmese: အကြောင်း (my) (a.kraung:)
  • Catalan: tema (ca) m
  • Chinese:
    Cantonese: 主題主题 (zyu2 tai4)
    Mandarin: 主題主题 (zh) (zhǔtí), 話題话题 (zh) (huàtí)
  • Czech: téma (cs) n
  • Danish: tema n
  • Dutch: thema (nl) n
  • Estonian: teema (et)
  • Finnish: aihe (fi)
  • French: thème (fr) m
  • Galician: tema (gl) m
  • Georgian: თემა (tema)
  • German: Thema (de) n
  • Greek: θέμα (el) (théma)
    Ancient: θέμα n (théma)
  • Hebrew: נוֹשֵׂא (he) m (nosé)
  • Hindi: विषय (hi) m (viṣay), प्रसंग (hi) m (prasaṅg)
  • Hungarian: téma (hu), tárgy (hu)
  • Icelandic: þema n, efni (is) n
  • Ido: temo (io)
  • Indonesian: tema (id)
  • Irish: téama m, ábhar (ga) m
  • Japanese: 主題 (ja) (しゅだい, shudai), テーマ (ja) (tēma), 話題 (ja) (わだい, wadai)
  • Kazakh: тақырып (kk) (taqyryp), тема (tema)
  • Khmer: អង្គសេចក្តី (ʼɑng sackdəy), សាច់រឿង (sac rɨəng), អត្ថរស (km) (ʼatthaʼrŭəh)
  • Korean: 주제(主題) (ko) (juje), 테마 (tema), 쩨마 (ko) (jjema) (North Korea), 화제(話題) (ko) (hwaje)
  • Kurdish:
    Northern Kurdish: mewzû (ku)
  • Kyrgyz: тема (ky) (tema)
  • Lao: ກະທູ້ (lo) (ka thū)
  • Latvian: temats m
  • Lithuanian: tema (lt) f
  • Luxembourgish: Thema
  • Macedonian: тема f (tema)
  • Malay: tema (ms)
  • Maori: marau, kaupapa, tāhuhu
  • Mongolian:
    Cyrillic: сэдэв (mn) (sedev)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: tema (no) n
  • Old English: andtimber n
  • Ottoman Turkish: موضوع(mevzu)
  • Pashto: موضوع (ps) f (mawzo’)
  • Persian: موضوع(mowzu’), تم (fa) (tem)
  • Polish: temat (pl) m
  • Portuguese: tema (pt) m
  • Romanian: temă (ro)
  • Romansch: tema m
  • Russian: те́ма (ru) f (téma)
  • Sanskrit: विषय (sa) m (viṣaya)
  • Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic: те́ма f
    Roman: téma (sh) f
  • Slovak: téma n
  • Slovene: tema (sl) f
  • Spanish: tema (es) m
  • Swedish: tema (sv) n
  • Tagalog: tema (tl)
  • Tajik: мавзӯъ (mavzüʾ), тема (tema)
  • Thai: กระทู้ (th) (grà-túu)
  • Turkish: ana konu (tr), tema (tr)
  • Turkmen: tema, mowzuk
  • Ukrainian: те́ма (uk) f (téma)
  • Uyghur: ماۋزۇ(mawzu)
  • Uzbek: mavzu (uz), tema (uz)
  • Vietnamese: chủ đề (vi) (主題)
  • Yiddish: טעמע (yi) f (teme)

recurring idea

  • Finnish: teema (fi), aihe (fi)
  • German: Motiv (de) n
  • Hungarian: motívum (hu)
  • Japanese: 主題 (ja) (しゅだい, shudai)
  • Maori: tāhuhu, tāhū
  • Portuguese: tema (pt) m
  • Spanish: tema (es) m

music: main melody of a piece of music

  • Bulgarian: тема (bg) f (tema)
  • Catalan: tema (ca) m
  • Finnish: teema (fi)
  • German: Thema (de) n
  • Greek: θέμα (el) (théma)
  • Hungarian: téma (hu), motívum (hu)
  • Icelandic: stef n, tema n, þema n
  • Ido: temato (io)
  • Irish: téama m
  • Japanese: 主題曲 (しゅだいきょく, shudaikyoku), テーマ曲 (tēma kyoku)
  • Maori: tāhuhu, tāhū
  • Portuguese: tema (pt) m
  • Spanish: tema (es) m

linguistics: thematic relation of a noun phrase to a verb

linguistics: theta role in generative grammar and government and binding theory

  • Icelandic: þema n

Verb[edit]

theme (third-person singular simple present themes, present participle theming, simple past and past participle themed)

  1. (transitive) To give a theme to.
    We themed the birthday party around superheroes.
  2. (computing, transitive) To apply a theme to; to change the visual appearance and/or layout of (software).

References[edit]

  • Theme on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams[edit]

  • Hemet

Middle English[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

Noun[edit]

theme (plural themes)

  1. Alternative form of teme (topic)

Etymology 2[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

theme

  1. Alternative spelling of þeme (them)

What is the meaning of the word theme?

1a : a subject or topic of discourse or of artistic representation guilt and punishment is the theme of the story. b : a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic, or concern the campaign has lacked a theme. 2 : a melodic subject of a musical composition or movement.

What is the Malayalam word for theme?

Pronunciation. IPA: θimMalayalam: ഥീമ

What are antonyms for theme?

Antonyms of THEME parenthesis, aside, interjection, digression, tangent, excursion.

Who invented welcome word?

Welcome derives from the Old English wilcuma, a noun meaning “a desired guest.” It acquired some of its more familiar senses in the Middle Ages, when it was used as an adjective meaning “agreeable, pleasing” (“His gift was welcome,” circa 1300) or “cordially invited to do something” (“You should be welcome to go home …

Is your welcome rude?

She explained that “you’re welcome”—a phrase that is meant to be courteous—is sometimes perceived as insincere or snarky. When the phrase is exclaimed in the absence of thanks, as comedians have made popular, it is obviously rude. When used graciously, “you’re welcome” is a perfectly polite form of expression.

What does you are welcomed mean?

said as a polite answer when someone thanks you for doing something: “Thank you so much for helping.” “You’re welcome.” Polite expressions.

What is another word for welcomed?

What is another word for welcomed?

agreeable gratifying
enjoyable pleasurable

Is Welcomed correct English?

‘Welcomed’ is not correct English. The word ‘welcome’ is a short form of the phrase ‘You are welcome’. ‘Welcome’ in this context is not a verb, but rather an adjective.

How do you use welcomed in a sentence?

Welcomed in a Sentence ?

  • The man’s in-laws welcomed him into their family, as they were glad to have a new son-in-law.
  • We happily welcomed an exchange student from China into our home for the summer.
  • The couple welcomed the homeless man into their home, not realizing that he was a serial killer.

What does welcomed mean?

adj. 1. Received with pleasure and hospitality into one’s company or home: a welcome guest. 2. Giving pleasure or satisfaction; agreeable or gratifying: a welcome respite from hard work.

Is welcomed to join?

The past participle welcomed is sometimes wrongly used as an adjective, such as in the sentences below: (1) *You’re welcomed to join us tomorrow. In both sentences, the correct word is the adjective welcome: (3) You’re welcome to join us tomorrow.

Is most welcomed correct?

Both are correct, with contextual differences. You’re most welcome would generally be used in response to an expression of thanks. I thank you so much for that lovely dinner. You’re most welcome.

Is it feel welcome or welcomed?

“Please feel welcome” is the normal way to say it. It would be used as: “feel free to give us your comments”, for example. I suppose “Please feel welcomed” is correct but it sounds very strange. Seems like “Please, feel as if you are being welcomed.”

Is always welcomed or welcome?

They are both correct, but the sense is a little different. In the first one ‘welcome’ is being used as an adjective. The second one is a passive construction–‘feedback is welcomed (by us)’. Even though they mean basically the same thing, I like the first one better.

What is the past tense of welcome?

welcomed

How do you say you’re welcome?

Here are a few more ways to say “You’re welcome” in English.

  1. You got it.
  2. Don’t mention it.
  3. No worries.
  4. Not a problem.
  5. My pleasure.
  6. It was nothing.
  7. I’m happy to help.
  8. Not at all.

Does a person lay or lie?

Lay is a verb that commonly means “to put or set (something) down.” Lie is a verb that commonly means “to be in or to assume a horizontal position” (or “to make an untrue statement,” but we’ll focus on the first definition). In other words, lay takes a direct object, and lie does not.

Where the opportunities lay or lie?

LIE is intransitive and present. LAY is the past of LIE. Unfortunately, LAY is also the present of another verb, LAY, which is transitive and means PUT. If I understand your intention correctly, you’d like to say something like I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD.

What’s bad about lying?

Lying is bad because a generally truthful world is a good thing: lying diminishes trust between human beings: if people generally didn’t tell the truth, life would become very difficult, as nobody could be trusted and nothing you heard or read could be trusted – you would have to find everything out for yourself.

What is a blue lie?

A blue lie is a form of lying that is told purportedly to benefit a collective or “in the name of the collective good”.

Is lying natural?

Child psychologist Jean Piaget, in his study of moral development, says that “the tendency to tell lies is a natural tendency… spontaneous and universal.” It seems that to lie is to be human.

Definition of theme: The theme of a literary work is a salient abstract idea that emerges from the treatment of its subject matter. Common themes are love, war, deceit, revenge, fate, destiny, etc.

What Does Theme Mean in Literature?

What is a theme in literature? A theme is a message or abstract idea that emerges from a literary work’s treatment of its subject matter.

The theme differs from the subject itself. The subject of a work can be described in concrete terms, usually through actions.

For example,

  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The subject matter is Huckleberry Finn’s adventures. The theme, however, is more of an abstract idea. The primary theme of Huck Finn, for example, is the conflict between civilization and natural life.

Theme vs. Subject

themes in literatureThe theme of literary work deals with an abstract idea or concept, while the subject deals with the concrete actions that bring us that idea.

Example of Theme:

  • Theme = Coming of Age.
  • Subject Matter = A newcomers difficulties in moving from a small town to the big city.
  • Explanation: The theme coming of age will explore the growing pains adolescents are likely to experience in the world. The subject matter for our hypothetical literary work is someone who recently moved from a small town to “the big city.”

Example of Theme:

  • Theme = Pride.
  • Subject Matter = The struggles of varsity football players to work together.
  • Thematic Statement = It is important to maintain a balance between pride and humbleness because too much self-confidence can be destructive.
  • Explanation = In this example, we see the author’s opinion regarding the theme of pride and how it relates to the work’s subject matter.

The thematic statement of a work is rarely said explicitly. Instead, people interpret it through characters, actions, and events within a book.

Thematic Concept vs. Thematic Statement

theme literary termThe thematic concept of a work is basically the definition of theme that we have outlined above. It is the abstract idea or concept with which a work of literature interacts.

A thematic statement, however, can be read to be more of an argument about that concept. In an essay, a thematic statement would be called your thesis statement.

For example,

  • Theme / Thematic Concept = Freedom.
  • Thematic Statement = Freedom should be extended to all citizens of the world.

As you can see, the theme of freedom is abstract and broad, and it doesn’t have a thesis statement. The thematic statement of a work, however, will make a claim about this concept. Think of the thematic statement as being an opinion held by the author about the theme itself.

In our example above, the theme is freedom, and the thematic statement is freedom should be extended to all citizens of the world.

There are also central themes and minor themes in literary works, which are just as they sound.

  • Central theme = the central or main message of a literary work.
  • Minor themes = other, less important messages of a literary work.

list of themes Here are some examples of themes found in literature:

  • In Paulo Choelo’s novel, The Alchemist, the author explores the subject of fate through a person’s dreams. His thematic statement regarding dreams is that one should always follow his heart and pursue his dreams at any cost.
  • In William Blake’s poem, The Poison Tree, the author explores the theme of anger. The thematic statement of the poem is if anger is not dealt with, the feeling will intensify and eventually leads to destruction.

Summary

Define theme in literature: In summation, the theme is an idea or concept that a literary work explores: love, despair, honor, etc.

The author explores the theme through the subject matter of his or her work, and when telling the story, arrives at some kind of thematic statement.

Here is a final example of theme found in the short story “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry.

In “The Gift of the Magi,” Henry conveys the message that love is more important than material possessions.

  • Theme: Love, charity, sacrifice.
  • Subject matter: Young couple struggling financially during Christmas.
  • Thematic Statement: Love is more important than material possessions.

Contents

  • 1 What Does Theme Mean in Literature?
  • 2 Theme vs. Subject
  • 3 Thematic Concept vs. Thematic Statement
  • 4 Examples of Theme in Literature
  • 5 Summary

Other forms: themes; themed; theming

A theme can be an underlying topic of a discussion or a recurring idea in an artistic work. Anxiety about getting married is a big theme in romantic comedies.

From ancient Greek thema (via Latin and French) we get this word, whose many related uses all have to do with the idea of «the main subject of something.» In music, it can be a recurring melody in a composition, or an entire song throughout a play or film (a theme song). It can also describe the decor of a setting: «The amusement park had a Wild West theme

Definitions of theme

  1. noun

    the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

    “his letters were always on the
    theme of love”

    synonyms:

    subject, topic

  2. noun

    a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work

    “it was the usual `boy gets girl’
    theme

    synonyms:

    motif

    see moresee less

    types:

    topos

    a traditional theme or motif or literary convention

    type of:

    idea, thought

    the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

  3. noun

    an essay (especially one written as an assignment)

    synonyms:

    composition, paper, report

    see moresee less

    types:

    term paper

    a composition intended to indicate a student’s progress during a school term

    type of:

    essay

    an analytic or interpretive literary composition

  4. noun

    (music) melodic subject of a musical composition

    “the
    theme is announced in the first measures”

    synonyms:

    idea, melodic theme, musical theme

  5. verb

    provide with a particular theme or motive

    “the restaurant often
    themes its menus”

  6. noun

    (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘theme’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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