Definition
A recurring musical, literary, or artistic theme associated with a particular character, idea, or situation. The term originated in opera but now applies to any dominant or recurring theme in artistic works.
Etymology
From German 'Leitmotiv,' literally 'leading motif,' coined by music critic Friedrich Wilhelm Jähns in 1871 to describe Wagner's technique of associating musical phrases with characters and concepts. The term migrated from music theory into literary and film criticism by the early 20th century.
Kelly Says
Wagner revolutionized storytelling by making music carry narrative weight—when Siegfried's horn theme plays, audiences immediately know he's present or being referenced, even without seeing him! This technique became so powerful that film composers like John Williams use it constantly—think of Darth Vader's Imperial March or Harry Potter's Hedwig's Theme.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
ARالعربية
leitmotif
layt-mo-teef
BNবাংলা
প্রধান বিষয়
prodhān bishāẏ
CACatalà
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
CSČeština
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
DADansk
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
DEDeutsch
Leitmotiv
layt-mo-tiv
ELΕλληνικά
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
ESEspañol
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
FAفارسی
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
FISuomi
leitotyyppi
lay-to-tyyp-pee
FRFrançais
leitmotiv
layt-mo-tiv
GUGU
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
HAHA
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
HEעברית
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
HIहिन्दी
मुख्य विषय
mukh-ya-vish-ay
HUMagyar
leitmotív
layt-moh-teev
IDBahasa Indonesia
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
IGIG
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
ITItaliano
leitmotiv
layt-mo-tiv
JA日本語
主題動機
shu-dai bo-eki
KKKK
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
KMKM
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
MRMR
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
MSBahasa Melayu
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
MYမြန်မာ
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
NLNederlands
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
NONorsk
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
PAPA
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
PLPolski
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
PTPortuguês
leitmotiv
layt-moh-tiv
RORomână
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
RUРусский
leitmotif
layt-mo-teef
SVSvenska
leitmotiv
layt-moh-teef
SWKiswahili
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
TAதமிழ்
தலைப்பாடம்
tha-lai-pa-a-tam
TEతెలుగు
ప్రధాన విషయం
pra-dha-na-vish-ayam
THไทย
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
TLTL
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
TRTürkçe
leitmotiv
layt-mo-tiv
UKУкраїнська
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
URاردو
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
VITiếng Việt
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
YOYO
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef
ZUZU
leitmotif
layt-moh-teef