Topic Comes From the Greek for Place
A topic is the subject of a discussion. The word derives from Aristotle's treatise on argument, itself named from places.
A topic is the subject of a discussion or piece of writing. Greek *topos* meant a place, and Aristotle's *Topika* was a treatise on argument organised around standard *places* where arguments could be found — a mental filing system of stock lines of reasoning. The subject matter took the name of the method. The same *topos* gives *topography*, the description of places, and *utopia*, no place, coined by Thomas More.
- A subject. *Change the topic.*
- Topical — current. *A topical joke.*
- Topography — description of places. *Topography.*
- Utopia — no place. *Utopia.*
- Greek — *topos*, a place. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | topic | A topic. |
| Plural | topics | Topics. |
| Adjective | topical | Topical. |
| Related | topography | Topography. |
| Greek | topos | A place. |
- That is off topic.Subject.
- The show covers topical issues.Current.
- Aristotle wrote the Topika.Origin.
The topos family
- Topic — a place where arguments are found
- Topical — belonging to the present moment
- Topography — the description of a place's features
- Utopia — no place, coined by Thomas More in 1516
- Isotope — same place, referring to the periodic table
Greek *ta topika*, matters concerning commonplaces, the title of Aristotle's treatise, from *topos*, a place.
Why does topic come from a word for place?
Aristotle organised his treatise on argument around standard places where arguments could be found, and the subject matter took the method's name.
Is utopia related?
Yes. Thomas More coined it in 1516 from Greek ou-topos, no place, playing on eu-topos, good place.