leitmotif
/ˈɫaɪtmoʊˌtif/
a recurring theme or element throughout a work
leitmotif in a sentence
“The green light serves as a leitmotif in The Great Gatsby.”
Origin of leitmotif
German Leitmotiv from leiten to lead + Motiv motive
Related Words
litotes
understatement by denying the opposite
malapropism
mistaken use of a word for a similar-sounding one
metaphor
a direct comparison between two unlike things
metonymy
substituting the name of an attribute for the thing itself
motif
a recurring element that has symbolic significance
oxymoron
a combination of contradictory terms