thesis

American  

[thee-sis] / ˈθi sɪs /

noun

theses plural

1. a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections.

   He vigorously defended his thesis on the causes of war.

   Synonyms:

   proposal, contention, theory

2. a subject for a composition or essay.

3. a dissertation on a particular subject in which one has done original research, as one presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.

4. Music. the downward stroke in conducting; downbeat.

5. Prosody.

   1. a part of a metrical foot that does not bear the ictus or stress.

   2. (less commonly) the part of a metrical foot that bears the ictus.

6. Philosophy. Hegelian dialectic

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thesis British  

/ ˈθiːsɪs /

noun

1. a dissertation resulting from original research, esp when submitted by a candidate for a degree or diploma

2. a doctrine maintained or promoted in argument

3. a subject for a discussion or essay

4. an unproved statement, esp one put forward as a premise in an argument

5. music the downbeat of a bar, as indicated in conducting

6. (in classical prosody) the syllable or part of a metrical foot not receiving the ictus Compare arsis

7. philosophy the first stage in the Hegelian dialectic, that is challenged by the antithesis

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thesis Cultural  

1. The central idea in a piece of writing, sometimes contained in a topic sentence.

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Usage

Plural word for thesis The plural form of thesis is theses, pronounced [ thee-seez ]. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -is are also formed in this way, including hypothesis/hypotheses, crisis/crises, and axis/axes. A similar change is made when pluralizing appendix as appendices. Irregular plurals that are formed like theses derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin and Greek.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• theses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of thesis

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin, from Greek thésis “a setting down, something set down,” equivalent to the- (stem of tithénai “to put, set down”) + -sis noun suffix; see -sis

Explanation

A thesis is the most important or foundational idea of an argument. If the thesis of your paper is that chocolate ice cream is better than vanilla, you'll need to back that up with plenty of sundae-based research. The noun thesis has more than one important sense to it. One definition of thesis is that it is the most important or foundational idea of an argument, presentation, or piece of writing. But it can also mean a large work of art, criticism, or scientific research that represents original research and is generally the final requirement for an academic degree.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thesis theses

"It is a tour de force of Yao Xue's PhD thesis work, pairing an innovative approach with exceptional electrophysiological skill."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

“Part of our thesis here is that people do not want their candidates grown in vats,” Moraff told the Wall Street Journal.

From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2026

Beshir highlights the Pollock-inspired salad course, which is accentuated with a jazz soundtrack, as the thesis of the evening.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

The opening “I Feel So Free” is the thesis statement, framing the club as a place that dissolves ego, lessens anxiety, and offers a portal to communal bliss.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Having finished with his coursework that spring, he was only scheduled for thesis hours in the fall anyway.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

"There are hundreds of graduate students writing theses on the Maldives using the data they gather together with Monica, or that Monica gathered. And no one knew anything? It makes me laugh."

From BBC ● May 19, 2026

Notice that many of theses names are software or consumer and business services companies.

From Barron's ● May 13, 2026

Everyone has their theses, and all are in search of the venue to share them.

From Slate ● Feb. 23, 2026

Since its introduction, fifteen dissertations and final theses at Freie Universität have focused on the topic, along with seven additional dissertations completed by researchers in other countries.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 7, 2026

Hence the first of the theses in which we summed up Stuart Mill's assumptions must be rejected.

From International Congress of Arts and Science, Volume I Philosophy and Metaphysics by Various

Related Words

• contention
• hypothesis
• opinion
• premise
• proposition
• supposition
• theory