leitmotif LYT-moh-teef, noun:
- In music drama, a marked melodic phrase or short passage which always accompanies the reappearance of a certain person, situation, abstract idea, or allusion in the course of the play; a sort of musical label.
- A dominant and recurring theme.
Though he ultimately secured an incredible hire, Mal Moore's presumed incompetence throughout the recent coaching search became a leitmotif.