3 meanings
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1 —as in:
theme of the novel
Definition
a basic idea that underlies what is being said or done — especially in a literary or artistic work- The party had a 1950's theme.
theme = an idea that is unifying or recurrent
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- What is the theme of your essay?
- Some committee decided the theme should be Midnight in Paris, so there's a huge Eiffel Tower made out of Christmas lights.Angie Thomas -- The Hate U Give
- Always they were a rehashing of the ancient themes—slum tenements, starving children, street battles, capitalists in top hats—George Orwell -- 1984
- Susan, who had an innate taste for the genteel and well-appointed, was eager to hear, and Fanny could not but indulge herself in dwelling on so beloved a theme.Jane Austen -- Mansfield Park
- Sure enough, the room was full of dresses in every shade of blue. Some of them fell closer to green, others closer to purple, but it was clear there was a theme.Kiera Cass -- The Selection
- Some words of this conversation must have reached Wilson, swaying in the office door, for suddenly a new theme found voice among his gasping cries: "You don't have to tell me what kind of car it was!"F. Scott Fitzgerald -- The Great Gatsby
- If I do, or if I even open this again, it will be to deal with different people and different themes, for here at the end, where the romance of my life is told, ere I go back to take up the thread of my life-work, I say sadly and without hope, "FINIS".Bram Stoker -- Dracula
- Rosaleen offered to bake the wedding cake layers, and Violet and Queenie were going to decorate it with a "rainbow theme."Sue Monk Kidd -- The Secret Life of Bees
- The theme is darkness—people who live in darkness.Alex Flinn -- Beastly
theme = the basic idea that underlies what is being said
theme = unifying idea
themes = recurring ideas
theme = topic (of conversation)
theme = repeated idea
theme = basic idea
themes = basic ideas
theme = a unifying or recurrent idea
theme = idea that is unifying or recurrent
2 —as in:
musical theme
Definition
the initial or primary melody of a musical compositionor
(as in "theme song") music that is most repeated in a film, television series, or other theatrical production
- I smile every time I hear The Simpson's theme music.
theme = primary melody
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- My mood is uplifted when I hear the Indiana Jones theme music.
- The theme is announced in the first measures.
- I could almost hear the Star Wars theme music playing in my head as I stood on the stage.R.J. Palacio -- Wonder
- [Fresh Prince of Bel-Air] I even relate to the theme song. A couple of gang members who were up to no good made trouble in my neighborhood...Angie Thomas -- The Hate U Give
- The new tune which was to be the theme-song of Hate Week (the Hate Song, it was called) had already been composed and was being endlessly plugged on the telescreens.George Orwell -- 1984
- the theme tunes from a few popular TV showsDarren Shan -- A Living Nightmare
- The Fresh Prince theme and his willingness to embarrass himself helped with that.Angie Thomas -- The Hate U Give
- The band started playing "My Girl," the squad theme song,Sarah Dessen -- Dreamland
theme = primary melody
theme = primary melody
theme = music that is most repeated in a film
theme = music most repeated in a television series
theme = most repeated
theme = primary melody
theme = music most repeated in a television series
theme = most repeated
3 —as in:
wrote a 2-page theme on my summer
Definition
an essay written by a student(This sense of theme is much rarer in recent decades than in the past.)
- She has us write a 500-word theme every other week.
theme = an essay written by a student
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- Do you choose the topic for your theme or is it assigned?
- I wondered for a long time how to start that theme, how to start writing about something that was important to me.S.E. Hinton -- The Outsiders
- That theme— how long can it be?S.E. Hinton -- The Outsiders
- This one started because I hadn't done anything on that theme, and I wanted to go for a ride.S.E. Hinton -- The Outsiders
- I tried to write that theme when I got home.S.E. Hinton -- The Outsiders
- What's the theme supposed to be on?S.E. Hinton -- The Outsiders
- And it isn't a reference theme; I want your own ideas and your own experiences.S.E. Hinton -- The Outsiders
- You're failing this class right now, but taking into consideration the circumstances, if you come up with a good semester theme, I'll pass you with a C grade.S.E. Hinton -- The Outsiders
theme = an essay written by a student
theme = essay
theme = essay
theme = essay
theme = essay
theme = essay
theme = essay
theme = essay
Less commonly:
More rarely, theme can refer to an essay or paper written by a student.