thema

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtʰɛ.ma]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛː.ma]^[1]

Forms

thema n (genitive thematis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek θέμα (théma, “something laid down, a proposition”), from τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put”), Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put”).^[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gaffiot and Köbler cite Seneca, the Elder's Controversiae.^[5][3] Köbler dates Seneca 4 BC–65 AD.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It was the case or topic proposed for debate in the schools of rhetoric, as in Seneca the Elder and Quintilian, and Lewis & Short call it post-Augustan.^[2][6][5] In astrology, as in Suetonius, it was the position of the stars at one's birth, a horoscope.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant theme, topic.^[7] British Medieval Latin used it also for the position of the heavenly bodies.^[8] English theme came through Old French tesme and directly from Latin in the early 14th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it.^[5][3]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it.^[5][3]
• c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it of a horoscope.^[2][3]
• early 14th century – English theme is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A subject, topic, theme; a case for debate.^[2][6]
2. (astrology) A horoscope.^[2]

Related words

• Themis
• thesis
• English theme

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press