topos

noun

plural topoi ˈtō-ˌpȯi How to pronounce topos (audio)
ˈtä-
: a traditional or conventional literary or rhetorical theme or topic

Word History

Etymology

Greek, short for koinos topos, literally, common place

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of topos was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near topos

Cite this Entry

“Topos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topos. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on topos

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!