A Theme Is What Something Is About
A theme is the subject or recurring idea in a work. In music it is the melody a composition develops.
A theme is the subject or underlying idea of a work, and in music the melody a composition is built from. Greek *thema* meant something set down or proposed, from *tithenai*, to place — the same root as *thesis* and the *-thet-* in *hypothesis*. A theme is literally something put forward for development. *Theme and variations* is a musical form where a melody is stated plainly and then transformed repeatedly, each version keeping something of the original.
- A recurring idea. *The theme of loss.*
- A musical melody. *The main theme.*
- A design scheme. *A colour theme.*
- Theme park — a themed attraction. *A theme park.*
- Greek — *thema*, something set down. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | theme | A theme. |
| Plural | themes | Themes. |
| Adjective | thematic | Thematic. |
| Verb | theme | Themed. |
| Greek | thema | Something set down. |
- The novel's theme is exile.Literature.
- The theme returns in the final movement.Music.
- Thema means something proposed.Etymology.
The tithenai family
- Theme — something set down for development
- Thesis — a proposition put forward
- Hypothesis — something placed under, a supposition
- Antithesis — something set against
- Apothecary — from a storehouse, where things are put away
Greek *thema*, a proposition or subject, from *tithenai*, to place or set down.
What is theme and variations?
A musical form where a melody is stated plainly and then repeatedly transformed, each version keeping something recognisable of the original.
Are theme and thesis related?
Yes. Both come from Greek tithenai, to place, and mean something set down for consideration.