thesis

American  

[thee-sis] / ˈθi sɪs /

noun

plural

theses

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.

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; -sis

Example Sentences

The book he writes about Lalo develops his thesis that Creole culture embodies the “collective spirit” needed to heal a country riven by racial division and civil strife.

From The Wall Street Journal

The earnings print, they said, was “validation of our thesis that Akamai is becoming an even more strategic vendor for its customers.”

From Barron's

But the reaction was overdone, they write, adding that their long-term thesis is unchanged.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The first chapter of my thesis is naming a new species of fossil crocodile, and I'm naming it after you," Bodenham told him.

From BBC

The thesis was that these were “safer” plays on the AI trend.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

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