topic
Americannoun
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a subject of conversation or discussion.
to provide a topic for discussion.
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the subject or theme of a discourse or of one of its parts.
- Synonyms:
- subject matter, thesis
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Rhetoric, Logic. a general field of considerations from which arguments can be drawn.
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Also called theme. Linguistics. the part of a sentence that announces the item about which the rest of the sentence communicates information, often signaled by initial position in the sentence or by a grammatical marker.
noun
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a subject or theme of a speech, essay, book, etc
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a subject of conversation; item of discussion
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(in rhetoric, logic, etc) a category or class of arguments or ideas which may be drawn on to furnish proofs
Related Words
See subject.
Etymology
Origin of topic
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin topica (plural), from Greek (tà) topiká name of work by Aristotle (literally, “(things) pertaining to commonplaces),” equivalent to tóp(os) “commonplace” + -ika, neuter plural of -ikos -ic; topo-
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But just because a topic is controversial doesn’t mean that it should be dismissed.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
They also wanted to combine research with outreach on a topic that often goes unnoticed.
From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026
The sustainability of BMW’s China performance probably continues to be the most controversially discussed topic in meetings, the bank adds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
The physical condition of England's players was a hot topic of debate before Edwards' appointment.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
There is very little research on children’s musical play or creativity, making it difficult to draw any large conclusions on the topic.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
