topic
Americannoun
-
a subject of conversation or discussion.
to provide a topic for discussion.
-
the subject or theme of a discourse or of one of its parts.
- Synonyms:
- subject matter, thesis
-
Rhetoric, Logic. a general field of considerations from which arguments can be drawn.
-
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
-
a subject or theme of a speech, essay, book, etc
-
a subject of conversation; item of discussion
-
(in rhetoric, logic, etc) a category or class of arguments or ideas which may be drawn on to furnish proofs
Synonym Usage
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; see topo-
Explanation
A topic is a subject. It's what you're discussing or what a newspaper article is about, the theme of a documentary, or the focus of your term paper. Green energy, the Oscar nominees, what's on the lunch menu, boxers or briefs — these are all considered topics. If something is a "hot topic," then everybody is talking about it. If it's a "topic for discussion," then someone wants to have a serious conversation about it. If you're at a dinner party, you can talk about all kinds of topics with other guests. But to keep peace at the table, avoid bringing up controversial political or religious topics.
Vocabulary lists containing topic
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Keystone Exams: English Composition Glossary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Infrastructure investing is a hot topic, with data-center buildouts dominating the discussion.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
Yet when a group of performers recently got onto the topic during The Envelope’s Emmy Limited Series / TV Movie Roundtable, it turned out everyone had their own way of doing it.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Following numerous exchanges on the topic over the past year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron came to realize that the companies couldn’t be forced to cooperate, the German official said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
It’s hard to imagine any topic more ideal for creating this kind conflict than UFOs.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
It was clear the topic made her uncomfortable, too.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
