English Explanatory Dictionary

leitmotif

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A melodic theme associated with a particular character, place, thing or idea in an opera.
  2. A recurring theme.

Pronunciation

/ˈlaɪt.məʊˌtiːf/ /ˈlaɪt.moʊˌtif/ /ˈleɪt.moʊˌtif/ /ˈlaɪt.moʊˌtɪv/ en-us-leitmotif.ogg

Word forms

leitmotif leitmotifs leitmotiv leit-motif

Etymology

From German Leitmotiv (“leading motif”), from leiten (“to lead”) + Motiv (“motif”), originally used to describe Wagnerian opera. The spelling was influenced by motif.

Synonyms

common thread
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