Meaning & use
thematic material
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Meanings
noununcountable
The ideas, subjects, or motifs that recur in a work of art, literature, music, or film, forming its underlying themes.
Grammar: Uncountable; no plural form. Can be used with 'much' or 'little': The novel contains much thematic material about loss.
Patterns
- thematic material about something
- thematic material in a work
- explore thematic material
The director uses visual symbols to reinforce the thematic material of the film.
The symphony's thematic material is drawn from folk songs.
Teachers asked students to identify the thematic material in the short story.
noununcountablemusic
In music, the melodic or rhythmic ideas that are developed throughout a piece.
Grammar: Uncountable; often used with 'the' when referring to specific material in a known piece.
Patterns
- thematic material in a movement
- develop thematic material
The composer transforms the thematic material in the final movement.
Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is famous for its concise thematic material.
Common combinations
- rich thematic material
- The novel offers rich thematic material for discussion.
- thematic material of the play
- The thematic material of the play centers on justice and revenge.
- develop thematic material
- The author develops the thematic material slowly over several chapters.
- thematic material about love
- Her poems contain thematic material about love and loss.
Synonyms and how they differ
- subject matter
- Broader: it refers to what a work is about in general, while thematic material specifically points to recurring ideas or motifs.
- motif
- A motif is a single recurring element; thematic material can include several motifs and the ideas they express.
- theme
- A theme is one central idea; thematic material is the collective ideas or subjects that make up the work's themes.
Word family
- theme noun
- The central idea or subject of a work.
- thematic adjective
- Relating to the theme or themes of a work.
- thematically adverb
- In a way that relates to themes.
Commonly confused: thematic material or thematic map?
thematic material vs thematic map
A thematic map is a map that shows a particular subject, like population density; it is not about themes in art.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'thematic material' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Thematic material' refers to recurring ideas or subjects in a work, so it fits the novel exploring war. Options about building material, dressmaking, and carrying refer to physical substance, which is not the meaning of this phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “thematic material”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.