theme
/θiːm/ (bre, ipa) · /θiːm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈthēm/ (ame, mw)
theme — noun
- themesingular
- themesplural
1. the central idea or topic that a written work, speech, movie, artwork, or simila
the central idea or topic that a written work, speech, movie, artwork, or similar creation deals with
The main theme of Christopher's speech was the importance of community service.
theme + of + [possession] for central idea
Environmental protection is a recurring theme in Dewi's documentary about rainforests.
recurring theme + in + [work]
The novel explores the universal theme of love and loss during wartime.
A central theme of the conference was how technology can improve healthcare in rural areas.
Shanti's research paper examines the theme of identity in postcolonial literature.
文法句型
theme + of + something
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives such as 'central,' 'main,' 'recurring,' or 'underlying' to indicate the importance or frequency of the subject.
常見錯誤
2. a piece of music that appears repeatedly in a movie, television show, or video g
a piece of music that appears repeatedly in a movie, television show, or video game, often connected to a specific character, place, or mood
The theme from "Jurassic Park" is one of the most famous film scores ever written.
theme from + [film title]
Every time the villain appears on screen, the same dark theme plays in the background.
The children hummed the cartoon's theme song all the way to school.
Rania downloaded the theme tune from her favourite TV show as a ringtone.
- theme song
specifically a song with lyrics used as a theme
- theme tune
more common in British English, especially for TV
- signature tune
less common; associated with a particular programme or personality
文法句型
theme + from + [film/show]
theme song / theme tune
用法筆記
The compound forms 'theme song' and 'theme tune' are more common in everyday conversation, especially for TV shows.
3. a short, basic melody used as the basis for a longer musical composition, appear
a short, basic melody used as the basis for a longer musical composition, appearing in altered forms throughout the piece
The pianist introduced a quiet theme that she later developed into a full concerto.
develop a theme — verb + noun collocation
In the second movement, the orchestra returns to the opening theme with greater force.
The composer uses a simple five-note theme that appears throughout the symphony.
Liang recognised the folk theme that the orchestra was playing from his childhood.
文法句型
theme + in/from + [musical work]
用法筆記
In music, a 'theme' is more than just a melody — it is the main musical idea that a composer builds a piece around, often varying it throughout the work.
4. a musical structure where a main melody is presented first and then played again
a musical structure where a main melody is presented first and then played again in several different versions, each with slight changes in rhythm, harmony, or style
Mozart wrote a well-known set of twelve variations on a simple French folk theme.
variations on a theme — standard musical phrasing
The final variation returns to the original theme but adds a lively jazz rhythm.
The music teacher asked each student to write their own theme and three variations.
Beethoven's Diabelli Variations are a famous example of the theme and variations form.
文法句型
theme and variations
variations on a theme
用法筆記
The phrase 'variations on a theme' is also used figuratively outside music to describe different versions of the same basic idea.
5. a historical term for a military and administrative district that the Byzantine
a historical term for a military and administrative district that the Byzantine Empire was split into, each under the command of a general
Under Emperor Heraclius, the Byzantine military was reorganised into several large themes.
Byzantine theme — historical domain term
Each theme was commanded by a strategos who managed both soldiers and local government.
The theme system helped the Byzantine Empire defend its borders for many centuries.
Historians still debate how effectively the themes were governed across such a wide area.
用法筆記
This sense is specialized for Byzantine history and is unrelated to the other meanings of 'theme.' It appears mainly in academic writing about the medieval Eastern Roman Empire.
6. a brief written assignment that a student prepares on a given topic for a school
a brief written assignment that a student prepares on a given topic for a school class, similar to an essay
Yael had to write a theme on the causes of the Civil War for her history class.
write a theme on + [topic] — typical American school usage
The teacher asked the students to submit their themes by Friday afternoon.
Amani spent the weekend working on her theme about the influence of social media.
Piotr received an A on his theme comparing two novels from the nineteenth century.
- essay
more widely used internationally; less specific to American schools
- composition
often used for shorter writing assignments in school contexts
文法句型
write a theme on + [topic]
用法筆記
This sense is primarily American English. In British and other varieties of English, 'essay' or 'composition' is the more common term for a school writing assignment.
常見錯誤
7. the base part of a word that remains after removing prefixes, suffixes, or other
the base part of a word that remains after removing prefixes, suffixes, or other affixes, also known as the stem
The word "national" has the theme "nation" with the suffix "-al" attached to it.
In linguistics class, Sofia learned how to identify the theme by removing affixes from complex words.
The theme of "unhappiness" is "happy" once you take off the prefix and the suffix.
Comparing themes across related languages shows how words share a common origin.
用法筆記
In modern linguistics, 'stem' is far more common than 'theme' for this meaning. 'Theme' in this sense is primarily found in older or more technical morphology textbooks.
theme — verb
- themepresent simple I / you / we / they
- themes3rd person singular
- theming-ing form
- themedpast simple
1. to create, decorate, or arrange something around a specific subject, style, or h
to create, decorate, or arrange something around a specific subject, style, or historical period so that everything fits that concept
The wedding was themed around a vintage Hollywood glamour concept from the 1950s.
passive: be themed around + [concept]
The new restaurant is themed like a 1920s Parisian cafe with jazz music and old posters.
Mauricio proposed a themed party where every guest dresses as a famous scientist.
The children's bedroom was themed after a space station with glow-in-the-dark stars.
文法句型
be themed around + [something]
theme + [noun] + as/on + [subject]
用法筆記
This verb is most commonly used in the passive or past participle form ('a themed restaurant,' 'the party was themed'). The active form ('They themed the room') exists but is less frequent.