1
Stage 1 of 3
leiten
German · medieval
"to lead"
to lead, combined with Motiv (motive, theme)
2
Stage 2 of 3
Leitmotiv
German · 1871
"a recurring musical theme tied to a character or idea"
leading motive, coined in music criticism for a recurring musical theme tied to a character or idea
3
Stage 3 of 3
leitmotif
English · 1877
"a recurring theme in a piece of music or a narrative"
adopted from German for a recurring theme in music or narrative
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