noun
theme
theem
noun
1
The main subject or topic of a talk, book, or piece of art.
"The theme of her speech was resilience."
"Loneliness is a recurring theme in his novels."
2
A visual or color style applied to a design, app, or website.
"She switched her phone to a dark theme to save battery."
3
A short recurring piece of music that identifies a film, show, or character.
"Everyone recognizes the theme from that movie."
How to Use Theme
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe central subject something is about, or a visual/musical style tied to it.
Common pairings
central theme
theme song
dark theme
Word Forms
themed past tense, themes plural, themes singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “theme”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ of her speech was resilience.
Etymology
From Greek théma, "something laid down or proposed," from tithēmi, "to put, place."