leitmotiv
leitmotif
noun layt-moh-TEEF Rare
Origin: German Leitmotiv, 'leading motive'
Also means
recurring theme
Usage Note
Leitmotiv (also spelled leitmotif) entered Spanish from German via music criticism to describe a recurring musical phrase associated with a character or idea; in general usage it means any dominant recurring theme in a work or discourse. It is treated as masculine in Spanish.
Examples
"La soledad es el leitmotiv de toda la novela."
Natural Translation
Loneliness is the leitmotif of the entire novel.
Related Words
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