Definition of theme noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
theme
noun
θiːm θiːm
1the subject or main idea in a talk, piece of writing or work of artNorth American literature is the main theme of this year's festival.The President stressed a favourite campaign theme—greater emphasis on education.The naked male figure was always the central theme of Greek art.The stories are all variations on the theme of unhappy marriage.2(music) a short tune that is repeated or developed in a piece of music3 = theme musicthe theme from ‘The Godfather’4(old-fashioned, North American English) a short piece of writing on a particular subject, done for school5(linguistics) the part of a sentence or clause that contains information that is not new to the reader or audience compare rhemeUsage note: LiteratureBeing a writerwrite/publish literature/poetry/fiction/a book/a story/a poem/a novel/a review/an autobiographybecome a writer/novelist/playwrightfind/have a publisher/an agenthave a new book outedit/revise/proofread a book/text/manuscriptdedicate a book/poem to…Plot, character and atmosphereconstruct/create/weave/weave something into a complex narrativeadvance/drive the plotintroduce/present the protagonist/a characterdescribe/depict/portray a character (as…)/(somebody as) a hero/villaincreate an exciting/a tense atmospherebuild/heighten the suspense/tensionevoke/capture the pathos of the situationconvey emotion/an idea/an impression/a sense of…engage the readerseize/capture/grip the (reader's) imaginationarouse/elicit emotion/sympathy (in the reader)lack imagination/emotion/structure/rhythmLanguage, style and imageryuse/employ language/imagery/humour/(especially US) humor/an image/a symbol/a metaphor/a deviceuse/adopt/develop a style/techniquebe rich in/be full of symbolismevoke images of…/a sense of…/a feeling of…create/achieve an effectmaintain/lighten the toneintroduce/develop an idea/a themeinspire a novel/a poet/somebody's work/somebody's imaginationReading and criticismread an author/somebody's work/fiction/poetry/a text/a poem/a novel/a chapter/a passagereview a book/a novel/somebody's workgive something/get/have/receive a good/bad reviewbe hailed (as)/be recognized as a masterpiecequote a phrase/line/stanza/passage/authorprovoke/spark discussion/criticismstudy/interpret/understand a text/passagetranslate somebody's work/a text/a passage/a novel/a poem
θiːm 
θiːm 
1 the subject or main idea in a talk, piece of writing or work of artNorth American literature is the main theme of this year's festival.The President stressed a favourite campaign theme—greater emphasis on education.The naked male figure was always the central theme of Greek art.The stories are all variations on the theme of unhappy marriage.2 (music) a short tune that is repeated or developed in a piece of music3 = theme musicthe theme from ‘The Godfather’4 (old-fashioned, North American English) a short piece of writing on a particular subject, done for school5 (linguistics) the part of a sentence or clause that contains information that is not new to the reader or audience compare rheme
Usage note: LiteratureBeing a writerwrite/publish literature/poetry/fiction/a book/a story/a poem/a novel/a review/an autobiographybecome a writer/novelist/playwrightfind/have a publisher/an agenthave a new book outedit/revise/proofread a book/text/manuscriptdedicate a book/poem to…Plot, character and atmosphereconstruct/create/weave/weave something into a complex narrativeadvance/drive the plotintroduce/present the protagonist/a characterdescribe/depict/portray a character (as…)/(somebody as) a hero/villaincreate an exciting/a tense atmospherebuild/heighten the suspense/tensionevoke/capture the pathos of the situationconvey emotion/an idea/an impression/a sense of…engage the readerseize/capture/grip the (reader's) imaginationarouse/elicit emotion/sympathy (in the reader)lack imagination/emotion/structure/rhythmLanguage, style and imageryuse/employ language/imagery/humour/(especially US) humor/an image/a symbol/a metaphor/a deviceuse/adopt/develop a style/techniquebe rich in/be full of symbolismevoke images of…/a sense of…/a feeling of…create/achieve an effectmaintain/lighten the toneintroduce/develop an idea/a themeinspire a novel/a poet/somebody's work/somebody's imaginationReading and criticismread an author/somebody's work/fiction/poetry/a text/a poem/a novel/a chapter/a passagereview a book/a novel/somebody's workgive something/get/have/receive a good/bad reviewbe hailed (as)/be recognized as a masterpiecequote a phrase/line/stanza/passage/authorprovoke/spark discussion/criticismstudy/interpret/understand a text/passagetranslate somebody's work/a text/a passage/a novel/a poem