n.
Variant: also leit · mo · tiv
Pronunciation: ' l ī t-m ō - ˌ t ē f
Function: noun
Etymology: German Leitmotiv, from leiten to lead + Motiv motive
Date: circa 1876
1 : an associated melodic phrase or figure that accompanies the reappearance of an idea, person, or situation especially in a Wagnerian music drama
2 : a dominant recurring theme