Thematic vs. Topical — What's the Difference?

Of, relating to, or being a theme

(of a subject) of immediate relevance, interest, or importance owing to its relation to current events

(Linguistics) Of, constituting, or relating to the theme of a word

Relating or applied directly to a part of the body

Relating to, or having a subject or a topic.

Being of current interest or relevance

(music) Relating to a melodic subject.

(Medicine) Relating to, applied to, or affecting a localized area of the body, especially of the skin

(grammar) Of a word stem, ending in a vowel that appears in or otherwise influences the noun or verb's inflection.

Of, arranged by, or relating to a particular topic or topics

(history) Of or relating to a subdivision of the Byzantine empire.

A topical anesthetic.

A postage stamp that is part of a thematic collection.

Relating to a particular topic or subject.

Of or pertaining to a theme, or subject.

Relating to a topic or subject of current interest.

Relating to or constituting a topic of discourse

Local to a particular place

Of or relating to a melodic subject

Applied to a localized part of the body.

Applied externally (to the surface of the skin or eye).

Arranged according to topic or theme; thematic.

A substance, especially a medication, applied externally (to the surface of the skin or eye).

(pharmaceutical drug) A topical anaesthetic.

A joke dealing with current events or topical subjects.

(philately) A postage stamp depicting a particular theme or subject (such as birds or trains), potentially sought out by topical stamp collectors.

Of or pertaining to a place; limited; logical application; as, a topical remedy; a topical claim or privilege.

Pertaining to, or consisting of, a topic or topics; according to topics.

Resembling a topic, or general maxim; hence, not demonstrative, but merely probable, as an argument.

Pertaining to the surface of a body part;

Of or relating to or arranged by topics;

Of interest at the present time;