Evil clown in a horror film, e.g (5)

I believe the answer is:

trope

(Other definitions for trope that I've seen before include "Figurative use of a word, metaphor" , "Figure of speech - or pet (anag)" , "Recurrent theme, motif" , "ironical expression" , "Metaphorical use of a word or expression" .)

I've seen this clue in The New York Times.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.