trope

¹

[ trohp ]

noun

1. Rhetoric.
   1. any literary or rhetorical device, as metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony, that consists in the use of words in other than their literal sense.
   2. an instance of this. Compare figure of speech.
2. a phrase, sentence, or verse formerly interpolated in a liturgical text to amplify or embellish.
3. 1. a recurring theme or motif, as in literature or art: the heroic trope.

      the trope of motherhood;

      the heroic trope.

   2. a convention or device that establishes a predictable or stereotypical representation of a character, setting, or scenario in a creative work: The author relies on our knowledge of the Haunted House trope to set the scene.

      From her introduction in the movie, the character is nothing but a Damsel in Distress trope.

      The author relies on our knowledge of the Haunted House trope to set the scene.

4. (in the philosophy of Santayana) the principle of organization according to which matter moves to form an object during the various stages of its existence.

-trope

²

1. a combining form meaning “one turned toward” that specified by the initial element ( heliotrope ); also occurring in concrete nouns that correspond to abstract nouns ending in -tropy or -tropism:

   allotrope.

-trope

¹

combining form

1. indicating a turning towards, development in the direction of, or affinity to

   heliotrope

trope

²

/ trəʊp /

noun

1. rhetoric a word or expression used in a figurative sense
2. an interpolation of words or music into the plainsong settings of the Roman Catholic liturgy

Word History and Origins

Origin of trope¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin tropus “figure in rhetoric, manner of singing” from Greek trópos “turn, manner, style, figure of speech,” akin to trépein “to turn, direct, show”

Origin of trope²

< Greek -tropos; trope, tropo-

Word History and Origins

Origin of trope¹

from Greek tropos a turn

Origin of trope²

C16: from Latin tropus figurative use of a word, from Greek tropos style, turn; related to trepein to turn

Example Sentences

My acting teacher, Dee Cannon, taught me that my strongest suit was not the trope that most Black women are given, which is the strong Black woman.

From Los Angeles Times

He said chaining swings had become a trope used by people who don't understand island culture.

From BBC

The attackers in both the Pittsburgh and El Paso incidents were motivated in part by the “Great Replacement” theory, a white supremacist trope claiming that the ongoing “replacement” of the white, Christian population in the United States is the deliberate strategy of a nefarious cabal.

From Los Angeles Times

Here, he was playing on the antisemitic trope of Jews as shrewd, stingy businessmen.

From Slate

Mr Hinchcliffe also suggested Latinos "loved making babies", and made a comment about black people and watermelons - drawing on a racist trope.

From BBC

Related Words

• figure
• idea
• impression
• notion
• perception
• thought
• vision

More About Trope

What is a trope?

A trope is a recurring element or a frequently used plot device in a work of literature or art.

A trope can be a person, place, thing, or situation. While you might not have known the definition of trope, you likely have plenty of experience with them if you enjoy literature or art.

The chosen one is a very common trope used in fantasy and science fiction stories, for example. The chosen one is a character (usually the protagonist) who is the only person in the universe who can save the day or foil the villain’s evil scheme, such as Harry Potter in J. K. Rowling’s series.

Another popular trope is a MacGuffin, an object that a plot focuses on. The hero and villain might fight over it or the hero might have to find it in the hero’s quest (another trope!). The MacGuffin serves no other purpose, so details about it don’t matter. In the Indiana Jones movies, Indiana is always chasing a lost treasure that the villains also want. Because the treasure isn’t important other than because the hero and villain both want it, it’s a MacGuffin.

Why is trope important?

The first records of the term trope come from around 1525. It ultimately comes from the Greek trópos, meaning “turn, manner, style, figure of speech.” In rhetoric, a trope is another term for a figure of speech. The use of trope to mean a “recurring theme” is a more modern usage.

One reason tropes are repeatedly used is that people are familiar with them, making it easier for a creator to tell a story. A writer doesn’t need to spend pages telling us why the villain wants to take over the world. We already know from reading other stories that this is what typically happens, so we can move on to the rest of the story. As well, we won’t question why supervillains repeatedly escape from prison without all of the police being fired for incompetence—because the escape is necessary for the story.

You can spot tropes that are unique to a specific genre. For example, in horror movies, no one seems to question when a main character foolishly wanders off alone for no reason. They need to be set apart for the plot to move forward. That’s a trope.

Did you know … ?

Sometimes, a trope can be overused. When it is, it becomes a cliché, a trope that bores or frustrates the audience because they’ve seen it so much. In soap operas, the trope of an evil twin sibling that causes problems for the good twin has become so common that audiences consider it to be a boring cliché.

What are real-life examples of trope?

People have gotten good at recognizing tropes and will often discuss which are their most and least favorite.

Perhaps my all-time favorite trope is "antagonist begrudgingly switches sides to defeat an even greater evil."

— Lindsay King-Miller (@AskAQueerChick) October 2, 2020

"Fast sharks" is going to overtake "Fast zombies" as the most hated trope in movies.

— bring on the dancing horses (@inthefade) July 12, 2013

everytime i go and try and be cute it’s like that trope in looney tunes where somebody step on a rake and it hit them in the face

— Beau Degás (@yunghermoso) September 23, 2020

 

 

What other words are related to trope?

• archetype
• stereotype
• cliché
• MacGuffin
• plot
• character
• setting

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

A trope is a character type or plot device that appears repeatedly in works of literature or art.

Words That Use -trope

What does -trope mean?

The combining form –trope is used like a suffix meaning “one turned outward.” It is also used in concrete nouns that correspond to abstract nouns ending in –tropy or -tropism (e.g., an allotrope is an instance of allotropy).

The form -trope ultimately comes from the Greek trópos, “turn,” and tropḗ, “a turning.” The Greek trópos is also the source of the words trope and tropical. It’s your turn to make the connection between “turning,” figures of speech, and the tropics at our entries for the words.

The combining forms -tropic and -tropous can be used as adjective forms of nouns ending with –trope, –tropy, and -tropism.

Corresponding forms of -trope combined to the beginning of words are tropo- and trop-, which you learn more about at our Words That Use articles for the forms.

Examples of -trope

In chemistry, an allotrope is one of two or more existing forms of an element, such as how graphite and diamonds are both forms of carbon. An allotrope is an instance of allotropy, as noted above. Allotropy is a property of certain elements that can exist in two or more distinct forms.

The allo- part of allotrope means “other,” and -trope has a based meaning of “turn” and “turned.” So, an allotrope has a literal sense of “something with another turn,” that is a form or manner.

What are some words that use the combining form -trope?

• azeotrope
• heliotrope
• hemitrope (using the equivalent form of -trope in French)
• thaumatrope
• zoetrope

What are some other forms that -trope may be commonly confused with?

• -tome
• -tron
• -troph
• -trophic
• -trophy

Break it down!

The combining form helio- means “sun.” Heliotrope is a name for a plant whose flowers do what?

Hint: sunflowers are known for this behavior!