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theme song

theme song

48 2.5
A short piece of music that plays at the start of a TV show or for a performer
  • noun
  • /θim sɔŋ/
translation icon : tema musical
  • As the opening theme song reassures us, "I know we'll be just fine if we learn to love the ride."
  • become the theme song

It was like I could hear this theme song going off in my head like this.

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Examples

  • What about our theme song?

  • If you could pick any theme song for Perry, what would it be?

    Blog text (12)
  • This is kind of our family theme song.

  • We need a theme song.

  • When you open it, you hear the theme song to Star Wars.

  • When you hear my theme song, the first bars will be for you.

  • It's so great that it's becoming the theme song for my school's prom.

    Blog text (5)
  • One of them begins to whistle the theme song from the television game show, Jeopardy.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Since she had met him, that idiotic tune had practically become her theme song.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The opening credits feature the iconic theme song of the series.

Synonyms

theme
vstheme song
  • Specialized
173 3.4

A melody that repeats and becomes the main musical idea

is used mainly to identify a show or performer rather than as composition core
signature
vstheme song
61 5.5

A short tune that people connect with a show or performer

is a piece that identifies a show more broadly than brief cues
leitmotif
vstheme song
  • Specialized
1 9.1

A short musical idea that returns to show a person, place, or feeling

is a standalone identification tune used outside continuous composition contexts
signature tune
vstheme song
  • UK
1 4.4

A short, easy to recognize piece of music that identifies a show or performer

is any associated identification melody not only short broadcast cues
musical theme
vstheme song
  • Specialized
1 3.4

The main tune that represents a person or idea in a piece of music

is an identification melody for media use, not mainly a compositional subject
melodic theme
vstheme song
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A main tune that returns and shapes a musical piece

is tied to identifying a show or performer not merely to musical structure

How Recognizable

signature tune
  • UK
1 4.4
theme song
48 2.5

Surface Forms

theme song singular
theme songs plural

Morphology

theme + song

The meaning 'a piece of music associated with a show' is directly derivable from combining 'theme' (a central or musical idea) with 'song' (a piece of music). This noun+noun composition is cross-linguistically common and follows straightforward compositional logic, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The phrase theme song comes from the idea of using one short musical theme, a simple tune played like a song at the start of a show so people immediately know which show it is. That's why a theme song today is the tune people link to and think of when they hear it.