Meaning
A melodic theme associated with a particular character, place, thing or idea in an opera.
Etymology
Origin: German
From German Leitmotiv (“leading motif”), from leiten (“to lead”) + Motiv (“motif”), originally used to describe Wagnerian opera. The spelling was influenced by motif.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 2 recorded puzzles, including a pangram: