essay

[es-ey, es-ey, e-sey, e-sey]

noun

1. a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.

2. anything resembling such a composition.

   a picture essay.

3. an effort to perform or accomplish something; attempt.

4. Philately.,  a design for a proposed stamp differing in any way from the design of the stamp as issued.

5. Obsolete.,  a tentative effort; trial; assay.

verb (used with object)

1. to try; attempt.

2. to put to the test; make trial of.

essay

noun

1. a short literary composition dealing with a subject analytically or speculatively

2. an attempt or endeavour; effort

3. a test or trial

verb

1. to attempt or endeavour; try

2. to test or try out

essay

1. A short piece of writing on one subject, usually presenting the author's own views. Michel de Montaigne, Francis Bacon (see also Bacon), and Ralph Waldo Emerson are celebrated for their essays.

Other Word Forms

• essayer noun
• preessay verb (used without object)
• unessayed adjective
• well-essayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of essay¹

First recorded in 1475–85; from Middle French essayer, from Late Latin exagium “a weighing,” from exag(ere) (unrecorded) “to examine, test,” literally, “to drive out, thrust out” (from Latin exigere; exact ) + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of essay¹

C15: from Old French essaier to attempt, from essai an attempt, from Late Latin exagium a weighing, from Latin agere to do, compel, influenced by exigere to investigate

Example Sentences

That evening, I wrote an essay about what the crisis and shattering of norms would mean for America’s ailing democracy.

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Cemeteries are invaluable compasses, a theme that binds Enriquez’s essays, and “Somebody Is Walking on Your Grave” is an immersive testament to her genius.

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Instead teachers are moving to timed in-class essays written by hand, for example.

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She’s bearing witness to a human dilemma our culture would prefer to keep under wraps, but Ortega might just as easily be doing an audio essay or podcast.

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“If there’s one thing a large majority of Americans have consistently agreed on this year, it’s that the Democratic Party sucks,” Christian Paz wrote in a new essay at Vox.

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Related Words

• article 
• discussion 
• dissertation 
• manuscript 
• paper 
• piece 
• study 
• thesis 
• treatise