"topicalize" meaning in English

See topicalize in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Forms: topicalizes [present, singular, third-person], topicalizing [participle, present], topicalized [participle, past], topicalized [past], topicalise [alternative]
Etymology: Etymology tree English topic English -al English topical Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English topicalize From topical + -ize. Etymology templates: {{ety|en|:af|topical|-ize|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree English topic English -al English topical Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English topicalize [Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from", "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "keyword_abbrev" : "der.", "keyword_label" : "Derived from", "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "keyword_abbrev" : "bor.", "keyword_label" : "Borrowed from", "terms" : [ { "id" : "verbal", "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*-id-", "status" : "missing", "lang" : "ine-pro" }, { "children" : [ ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*-yéti", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "ine-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*-idyéti", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "ine-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Hellenic", "term" : "*-íďďō", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "grk-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Ancient Greek", "term" : "-ῐ́ζω", "lang" : "grc" } ], "keyword" : "bor" } ], "lang_name" : "Late Latin", "term" : "-izō", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "la-lat" } ], "keyword" : "derived" } ], "lang_name" : "Middle French", "term" : "-iser", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "frm" } ], "keyword" : "bor" } ], "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "-isen", "status" : "inline", "lang" : "enm" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "-ize", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "topicalize", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="topicalize"> From topical + -ize. Head templates: {{en-verb}} topicalize (third-person singular simple present topicalizes, present participle topicalizing, simple past and past participle topicalized)
  1. (grammar) To place the topic of a sentence at the beginning.
    Sense id: en-topicalize-en-verb-sUNbxGD1 Categories (other): Grammar, English entries referencing pages with etymology sections missing etymons, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymology trees, English entries with etymon, English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -ize, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Pages with etymology trees, Pages with etymon Disambiguation of English entries referencing pages with etymology sections missing etymons: 53 47 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 52 48 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology trees: 53 47 Disambiguation of English entries with etymon: 53 47 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 59 41 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ize: 55 45 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 53 47 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 64 36 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 74 26 Disambiguation of Pages with etymology trees: 68 32 Disambiguation of Pages with etymon: 77 23 Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
  2. (sociology) To treat (a subject) as a topic.
    Sense id: en-topicalize-en-verb-Tq9L6Q8Y Categories (other): Sociology, English entries referencing pages with etymology sections missing etymons, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymology trees, English entries with etymon, English terms suffixed with -ize, Pages using etymon with no ID Disambiguation of English entries referencing pages with etymology sections missing etymons: 53 47 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 52 48 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology trees: 53 47 Disambiguation of English entries with etymon: 53 47 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -ize: 55 45 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 53 47 Topics: human-sciences, sciences, social-science, sociology
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: retopicalize, topicalizer

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "retopicalize"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "topicalizer"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "topical",
        "4": "-ize",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish topic\nEnglish -al\nEnglish topical\nProto-Indo-European *-id-\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-idyéti\nProto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō\nAncient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor.\nLate Latin -izōder.\nMiddle French -iserbor.\nMiddle English -isen\nEnglish -ize\nEnglish topicalize\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"verbal\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-id-\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yéti\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-idyéti\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*-íďďō\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"-ῐ́ζω\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Late Latin\", \"term\" : \"-izō\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la-lat\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle French\", \"term\" : \"-iser\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"frm\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-isen\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ize\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"topicalize\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"topicalize\">\nFrom topical + -ize.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish topic\nEnglish -al\nEnglish topical\nProto-Indo-European *-id-\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-idyéti\nProto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō\nAncient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor.\nLate Latin -izōder.\nMiddle French -iserbor.\nMiddle English -isen\nEnglish -ize\nEnglish topicalize\nFrom topical + -ize.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "topicalizes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
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    },
    {
      "form": "topicalizing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "topicalized",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "topicalized",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "topicalise",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "topicalize (third-person singular simple present topicalizes, present participle topicalizing, simple past and past participle topicalized)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Grammar",
          "orig": "en:Grammar",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries referencing pages with etymology sections missing etymons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "52 48",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
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          "name": "English entries with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "59 41",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "55 45",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -ize",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "64 36",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "68 32",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "77 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To place the topic of a sentence at the beginning."
      ],
      "id": "en-topicalize-en-verb-sUNbxGD1",
      "links": [
        [
          "grammar",
          "grammar"
        ],
        [
          "topic",
          "topic"
        ],
        [
          "sentence",
          "sentence"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(grammar) To place the topic of a sentence at the beginning."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "grammar",
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Sociology",
          "orig": "en:Sociology",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries referencing pages with etymology sections missing etymons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "52 48",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology texts",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "55 45",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -ize",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "53 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
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      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              153,
              164
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2013, Teun A. van Dijk, News Analysis, page 203:",
          "text": "[…] during the whole media debate the alternative point of view and the perspective and rights of the minority groups themselves were hardly, if at all, topicalized.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To treat (a subject) as a topic."
      ],
      "id": "en-topicalize-en-verb-Tq9L6Q8Y",
      "links": [
        [
          "sociology",
          "sociology"
        ],
        [
          "topic",
          "topic"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(sociology) To treat (a subject) as a topic."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "sciences",
        "social-science",
        "sociology"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "topicalize"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries referencing pages with etymology sections missing etymons",
    "English entries with etymology texts",
    "English entries with etymology trees",
    "English entries with etymon",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms suffixed with -ize",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymology trees",
    "Pages with etymon"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "retopicalize"
    },
    {
      "word": "topicalizer"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "topical",
        "4": "-ize",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
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      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish topic\nEnglish -al\nEnglish topical\nProto-Indo-European *-id-\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-idyéti\nProto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō\nAncient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor.\nLate Latin -izōder.\nMiddle French -iserbor.\nMiddle English -isen\nEnglish -ize\nEnglish topicalize\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"verbal\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-id-\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yéti\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-idyéti\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*-íďďō\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"-ῐ́ζω\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Late Latin\", \"term\" : \"-izō\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la-lat\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle French\", \"term\" : \"-iser\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"frm\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-isen\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-ize\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"topicalize\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"topicalize\">\nFrom topical + -ize.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish topic\nEnglish -al\nEnglish topical\nProto-Indo-European *-id-\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-idyéti\nProto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō\nAncient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor.\nLate Latin -izōder.\nMiddle French -iserbor.\nMiddle English -isen\nEnglish -ize\nEnglish topicalize\nFrom topical + -ize.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "topicalizes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
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    },
    {
      "form": "topicalizing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "topicalized",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "topicalized",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "topicalise",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
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  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "topicalize (third-person singular simple present topicalizes, present participle topicalizing, simple past and past participle topicalized)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Grammar"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To place the topic of a sentence at the beginning."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "grammar",
          "grammar"
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        [
          "topic",
          "topic"
        ],
        [
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          "sentence"
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      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(grammar) To place the topic of a sentence at the beginning."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "grammar",
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
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          "ref": "2013, Teun A. van Dijk, News Analysis, page 203:",
          "text": "[…] during the whole media debate the alternative point of view and the perspective and rights of the minority groups themselves were hardly, if at all, topicalized.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To treat (a subject) as a topic."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "sociology",
          "sociology"
        ],
        [
          "topic",
          "topic"
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      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(sociology) To treat (a subject) as a topic."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "sciences",
        "social-science",
        "sociology"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "topicalize"
}

Download raw JSONL data for topicalize meaning in English (4.9kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-09-09 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-09-02 using wiktextract (ccec6f1 and 4deed51). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.