A musical theme is a recurring idea or phrase that is used throughout a piece of music. The term 'LEITMOTIF' (9 letters) is a German word meaning 'leading MOTIF' and is used to describe a musical theme that is associated with a particular character, place, or idea. A MOTIF (5 letters) is a short musical phrase that is repeated throughout a piece of music. LEITMOTIV (9 letters) is another German word for LEITMOTIF. Finally, tema (4 letters) is the Italian word for theme.