topic

[ top-ik ]

noun

1. a subject of conversation or discussion:

   to provide a topic for discussion.

2. the subject or theme of a discourse or of one of its parts.

   Synonyms: subject matter, thesis

3. Rhetoric, Logic. a general field of considerations from which arguments can be drawn.
4. 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. Compare comment ( def 7 ).

topic

/ ˈtɒpɪk /

noun

1. a subject or theme of a speech, essay, book, etc
2. a subject of conversation; item of discussion
3. (in rhetoric, logic, etc) a category or class of arguments or ideas which may be drawn on to furnish proofs

Word History and Origins

Origin of topic¹

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-

Word History and Origins

Origin of topic¹

C16: from Latin topica translating Greek ta topika, literally: matters relating to commonplaces, title of a treatise by Aristotle, from topoi, pl of topos place, commonplace

Synonym Study

See subject.

Example Sentences

Shaw and McCarthy both agree that these are tricky topics, especially for people whose own parents never talked to them about these issues.

From Washington Post

You can check Google Trends to find out which topics are trending in your niche and then keep track of traffic.

From Search Engine Watch

You might be hesitant to ask them about it because it’s a sensitive topic.

From Freakonomics

Nearly two years ago, other city leaders asked the San Diego Housing Commission to study that very topic, but that didn’t happen.

From Voice of San Diego

As the Times is looking to grow its core portfolio of newsletters, topics covered in The Morning can be spun out into standalone newsletters that “don’t have to last forever,” Pasick said.

From Digiday

For many years afterward it was a never-ending topic of conversation, and is more or less talked of even to this day.

From The Daily Beast

One topic that comes up among the members, she says, is dealing with loss years later.

From The Daily Beast

The other Twitter topic you are well known for is the topic of Salon.

From The Daily Beast

A few minor notes, born of reflection: Traditionally, the best columns are dominated by politics—its most popular topic.

From The Daily Beast

Of course there was no official way to have these interviews given the sensitivity of the topic.

From The Daily Beast

Naturally the conversation fell on the all-absorbing topic of the day and the object of his mission.

From Project Gutenberg

Cecilia says they were all talking of it at Maundrell Abbey, where of course it is a peculiarly interesting topic.

From Project Gutenberg

She chatted freely, discoursed on almost every topic, and during it all he saw what a wonderfully courageous woman she was.

From Project Gutenberg

In continuation of this topic, may I inquire when and where the two following bishops, deprived in 1690, died?

From Project Gutenberg

Surely the topic is capable of being handled in a sufficiently exciting manner!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• affair
• argument
• business
• case
• field
• issue
• material
• matter
• point
• problem
• proposition
• question
• subject
• theme