trope

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a word or expression used in a figurative sense : figure of speech
b
: a common or overused theme or device : cliché
the usual horror movie tropes
2
: a phrase or verse added as an embellishment or interpolation to the sung parts of the Mass in the Middle Ages

-trope

2 of 2

noun combining form

: body characterized by (such) a state
allotrope

Examples of trope in a Sentence

Noun a screenplay that reads like a catalog of mystery-thriller tropes
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Since then, Musk has tweeted dozens of times on the subject—mostly amplifying anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim tropes, which British right-wing activists have attached to the abuse scandals for many years. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025 In what’s become a standard trope during such disputes, the operator went on to claim that the majority of Optimum video customers do not watch MSG programming. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 Jan. 2025 Adrienne LaFrance: Humanity’s enduring obsession with the apocalypse These are more than just Hollywood tropes. Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2024 Yet, year after year, some advertisers fall back on tired stereotypes and tropes that don't feel relevant to diverse audiences. Gary Drenik, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for trope 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Latin tropus "figure of speech" (Medieval Latin, "embellishment to the sung parts of the Mass"), borrowed from Greek trópos "turn, way, manner, style, figurative expression," noun derivative from the base of trépein "to turn," probably going back to Indo-European *trep-, whence also Sanskrit trapate "(s/he) is ashamed, becomes perplexed," Hittite te-ri-ip-zi "(s/he) ploughs"

Note: Also compared is Latin trepit, glossed as vertit "(s/he) turns," but as this form is only attested in the lexicon of the grammarian Sextus Pompeius Festus, it may be a reconstruction based on the Greek word. The word tropes (genitive case) in the Old English translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History is an isolated instance; the word was reborrowed from Latin or Greek in the 16th century.

Noun combining form

borrowed from Greek -tropos "turned, directed, living (in the manner indicated)," adjective derivative of trópos "turn, way, manner, style" — more at trope

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of trope was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near trope

Cite this Entry

“Trope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trope. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

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