theme

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A topic of discourse or discussion. See Synonyms at subject.
2. n. A subject of artistic representation.
3. n. An implicit or recurrent idea; a motif: a theme of powerlessness that runs through the diary; a party with a tropical island theme.
4. n. A short composition assigned to a student as a writing exercise.
5. n. Music The principal melodic phrase in a composition, especially a melody forming the basis of a set of variations.
6. n. Linguistics A stem.
7. n. Linguistics See topic.
8. v. Usage Problem To provide with a particular topic or motif. See Usage Note at themed.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In astrology, a figure of nativity.
2. n. A subject or topic on which a person writes or speaks; anything proposed as a subject of discourse or discussion.
3. n. That which is said or thought on a given topic.
4. n. Question; subject; matter.
5. n. A short dissertation composed by a student on a given subject; a brief essay; a school composition; a thesis.
6. n. In philology, the part of a noun or verb to which inflectional endings are added; stem; base.
7. n. In music, same as subject. The term is sometimes extended to a short melody from which a set of variations is developed.
8. n. That by which a thing is done; an instrument; a means.
9. n. A division for the purpose of provincial administration under the Byzantine empire. There were twenty-nine themes, twelve in Europe and seventeen in Asia. Also thema.
10. n. In logic, same as thema, 3. Synonyms Topic, Point, etc. (see subject), text.

Wiktionary

1. n. A subject of a talk or an artistic piece; a topic.
2. n. A recurring idea; a motif.
3. n. music The main melody of a piece of music, especially one that is the source of variations.
4. n. computing, figuratively The collection of color schemes, sounds, artwork etc., that "skin" an environment towards a particular motif.
5. n. grammar The stem of a word
6. n. linguistics thematic relation of a noun phrase to a verb
7. n. linguistics Theta role in generative grammar and government and binding theory.
8. n. linguistics Topic, what is being talked about, as opposed to rheme
9. n. A regional unit of organisation in the Byzantine empire.
10. v. computing, transitive To apply a theme to; to change the visual appearance and/or layout of (software).

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A subject or topic on which a person writes or speaks; a proposition for discussion or argument; a text.
2. n. Discourse on a certain subject.
3. n. A composition or essay required of a pupil.
4. n. (Gram.) A noun or verb, not modified by inflections; also, that part of a noun or verb which remains unchanged (except by euphonic variations) in declension or conjugation; stem.
5. n. obsolete That by means of which a thing is done; means; instrument.
6. n. (Mus.) The leading subject of a composition or a movement.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
2. n. an essay (especially one written as an assignment)
3. n. (linguistics) the form of word after all affixes are removed
4. n. (music) melodic subject of a musical composition
5. n. a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work
6. v. provide with a particular theme or motive