treatise
Americannoun
noun
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a formal work on a subject, esp one that deals systematically with its principles and conclusions
-
an obsolete word for narrative
Etymology
Origin of treatise
1300–50; Middle English tretis < Anglo-French tretiz, akin to Old French traitier to treat
Explanation
A treatise is a formal written paper about a specific subject. It’s like an essay but longer. A treatise is usually about a serious subject, so you might read a treatise on democracy, but you probably won't read a treatise about chewing gum. The word treatise is related to the verb treat, in the sense of "deal with,” like the way a doctor treats a patient. Like a doctor, a treatise examines a subject from all angles. It has nothing to do with treats, unless you’re writing a treatise on desserts, which would be weird. More appropriate topics for a treatise include philosophy, religion, economics, and so forth. An example of a political treatise is The Prince by Machiavelli, which basically argues that “the ends justify the means.”
Vocabulary lists containing treatise
Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
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This Week in Words: April 13–19, 2019
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "T"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In poetry, Diaz was nominated for “Postcolonial Love Poem,” Rick Barot for “The Galleons” and Mei-mei Berssenbrugge for “A Treatise on Stars.”
From Seattle Times • Sep. 17, 2020
Spotted in the gift shop, among the tie-dyed T-shirts printed with the words “Old Soul”: a pamphlet titled, “Do I Have To? A Treatise on Reincarnation.”
From New York Times • Aug. 4, 2018
This was the motivation of Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, Kant’s Reply to the Question: What Is Enlightenment?, and Rousseau’s Discourse on the Origin of Inequality: three extraordinary pamphlets that proclaimed the liberation of man.
From Slate • Apr. 7, 2017
In his Second Treatise of Civil Government, Locke not only explains this failure, but also how readily and universally that failure is perceived.
From Salon • Apr. 24, 2014
"But surely he's not the same Dr. Bright who authored the Treatise on Melancholy!"
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
