# leitmotif

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlaɪt.məʊˌtiːf/ · frequency rank #90,658

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

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

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/leitmotif