topos

noun

to·​pos ˈtō-ˌpäs 

ˈtä-

plural topoi ˈtō-ˌpȯi 

ˈtä-

: a traditional or conventional literary or rhetorical theme or topic

Examples of topos in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Study topos and find areas where no roads are present. —Outdoor Life, 19 Nov. 2019

This inward pull relates to her sense of memory and place: all topics are topos, terrain, their meanings leaved in geologic strata. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Greek, short for koinos topos, literally, common place

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above