1. a subject or theme of a speech, essay, book, etc
2. a subject of conversation; item of discussion
3. (Logic) (in rhetoric, logic, etc) a category or class of arguments or ideas which may be drawn on to furnish proofs
[C16: from Latin topica translating Greek ta topika, literally: matters relating to commonplaces, title of a treatise by Aristotle, from topoi, pl of topos place, commonplace]
