leitmotive

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablemusic

   A short musical phrase linked to a particular person, idea, or situation in a work, repeated when they appear.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a leitmotive' or 'several leitmotives'.

   Patterns

   • a leitmotive for someone
   • use a leitmotive
   • the hero's leitmotive

   Wagner gives each character a leitmotive that returns whenever they enter.

   The composer builds the whole scene from a single leitmotive.

   Listen for the leitmotive of the ring in the final act.

2. 2nouncountablefigurativeformal

   A phrase or idea that keeps coming back in a book, speech, or discussion.

   Grammar: Countable and slightly formal; often used in reviews and essays.

   Patterns

   • a recurring leitmotive
   • the leitmotive of something

   Loss is the leitmotive running through the whole novel.

   Freedom became the leitmotive of his speeches.

   The same complaint is a leitmotive in every meeting.

Word forms

Common combinations

a recurring leitmotive

A recurring leitmotive ties the scenes together.

the leitmotive of the novel

Exile is the leitmotive of the novel.

a musical leitmotive

The film uses a musical leitmotive for the villain.

Synonyms and how they differ

motif

A motif is any repeated element in art or music; a leitmotive is specifically tied to a character or idea and returns with them.

theme

A theme is a broader central subject; a leitmotive is a short recurring signal rather than a whole subject.

Word family

leitmotivic adjective

Relating to or resembling a leitmotive.

Commonly confused: leitmotive or leitmotif?

Practice

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