leitmotif

• leitmotiv
• leit-motif

From German Leitmotiv (“leading motif”), from leiten (“to lead”) + Motiv (“motif”), originally used to describe Wagnerian opera.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈlaɪt.məʊˌtiːf/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈlaɪt.moʊˌtif/, nonstandard IPA^(key): /ˈleɪt.moʊˌtif/

• Audio (US)

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leitmotif (plural leitmotifs)

1. (music) A melodic theme associated with a particular character, place, thing or idea in an opera.
2. A recurring theme.
   • 1975 October 27, Aaron Latham, “John Connally on the Comeback Road”, in New York, volume 8, number 43, page 48:

     If one looks for a pattern in the political life of John Connally, one finds a leitmotif of scandals which threatened but never destroyed his career.