Standard Lemma guide

topicalization

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The placing of the topic of a sentence at the beginning.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

(linguistics) emphasis placed on the topic or focus of a sentence by preposing it to the beginning of the sentence; placing the topic at the beginning of the sentence is typical for English

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • `Those girls, they giggle when they see me' and `Cigarettes, you couldn't pay me to smoke them' are examples of topicalization

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: emphasis

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 主題化 /主题化 (zhǔtíhuà) — placing topic at beginning of sentence
  • Chinese Mandarin: 話題化 /话题化 (huàtíhuà) — placing topic at beginning of sentence
  • French: thématisation — placing topic at beginning of sentence
  • French: topicalisation — placing topic at beginning of sentence
  • German: Topikalisierung — placing topic at beginning of sentence
  • Japanese: 主題化 (shudaika) — placing topic at beginning of sentence
  • Japanese: 話題化 (wadaika) — placing topic at beginning of sentence
  • Korean: 주체화 (juchehwa) — placing topic at beginning of sentence
  • Mongolian: сэдэвчилэлт (sedevčilelt) — placing topic at beginning of sentence