theme

Word family

• thematic
  adjectiveB2
• thematically
  adverbC1
• themed
  adjectiveB2
• theming
  nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four words refer to what something is about, they differ in scope and depth. A topic is the broadest — it names what a conversation or piece of writing generally deals with ('the topic of climate change'). A subject is similar but slightly more structured, often tied to a field of study ('the subject of economics'). A theme runs deeper: it is the recurring central idea or message that gives a work meaning, such as 'redemption' or 'betrayal' in a novel. A motif is the smallest of the four — a repeated image, symbol, or phrase that supports the theme, like the green light in The Great Gatsby supporting the theme of hope and longing. In everyday use, 'theme' stands apart because it implies a unifying thread that holds the whole work together, not just what the work is about on the surface. For example, a novel about war (topic) might have the theme of the loss of innocence.

Common collocations

Etymology

The word 'theme' comes from Latin 'thema' meaning 'a subject or topic,' which itself was borrowed from Greek 'thema' (θέμα) — literally 'something set down' or 'a proposition,' from the root 'tithenai' meaning 'to place, put, or set.' The Greek sense of a 'proposition to be discussed' carried into Latin and later into Old French as 'teme,' before entering Middle English around the 1300s. The musical meaning emerged in the late 1500s. The Byzantine administrative sense (a 'thema') developed separately in Greek during the 7th century, referring to a military district where troops were 'stationed' or 'placed' — the same root idea of 'setting something down.'