thesisthe‧sis /ˈθiːsɪs/ ●○○ AWL noun (plural theses /-siːz/) [countable] 
Cynthia’s still working on her thesis.graduate/master’s/doctoral thesis He wrote his doctoral thesis on contemporary French literature.2formal an idea or opinion about something, that you discuss in a formal way and give examples for: Their main thesis was that the rise in earnings was due to improvements in education.3American English in writing, the thesis is the sentence or group of sentences which state what the main idea of an essay is: a paragraph introducing your thesis statement
WORD ORIGINthesis
Origin:
1300-1400 Latin, Greek, ‘act of laying down’, from tithenai ‘to put, lay down’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- The book seems to have no central thesis.
- She rejects the thesis that the Shoah was unique.
- The ethical basis for extending effective property rights in the public treasury to officials is overlooked in the Niskanen-type thesis.
- There is a short but cheerful thesis to be written on this aspect of the production.
- To the extent that legitimate authorities have power over us, the pre-emption thesis governs our right attitude to them.
- Whatever the reason, however, our examination of the evidence gives little support for either thesis.
- You might even end up starting on another project with a new thesis adviser.
THESAURUS
a piece of writing written by a student as part of a course of study: · We had to write an essay about the environment.· Have you handed in your essay yet?
an essay written by a someone who has studied a subject as part of their research. Paper is also used about an essay that you have to write for a class at school, especially in American English: · The professor has published over forty scientific papers on diseases of tropical crops· At the beginning of the school year we had to write a paper about our interests.
a long essay written as part of a university degree: · In the third year of their course, students have to write a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic that has been approved by their tutor.
a very long essay that is part of an advanced university degree such as a master’s degree or a doctorate: · He wrote his doctoral thesis on the literature of the English romantic movement.
WORD SETSAA, nounacademia, nounacademic, adjectiveacademic, nounacademy, nounalum, nounalumna, nounalumni, nounalumnus, nounassistant professor, nounAssociate of Arts, nounassociate professor, nounaudit, verbBA, nounbachelor's degree, nounBig Man on Campus, nounblue book, nounbrother, nounBSc, nounbursar, nounbursary, nouncampus, nounCantab, chair, nounchancellery, nounchancellor, nounclass, nouncoed, nouncommencement, nouncommunity college, nounconservatoire, nounconservatory, nounconvocation, nouncourse, nouncredit, nouncum laude, adverbdean, noundean's list, noundiploma, noundissertation, noundoctor, noundoctoral, adjectivedoctorate, nounDoctor of Philosophy, noundon, noundorm, noundormitory, noundouble first, noundown, adverbelective, nounexaminer, nounextension, nounextramural, adjectivefaculty, nounfinancial aid, nounfirst class, noungrad, noungrad school, noungraduate, noungraduate, verbgraduate, adjectivegraduate school, noungraduation, nounGRE, nounGreek, nounhall, nounhall of residence, nounhaze, verbhigher education, nounhomecoming, nounhonor roll, nounhonours degree, nounintercollegiate, adjectiveintramural, adjectiveIvy League, the, adjectivejoint honours, nounjunior college, nounlectureship, nounLLB, nounLLD, nounLLM, nounMA, nounmagna cum laude, adjectivemajor, nounMaster of Arts, nounMaster of Science, nounmaster's, nounmaster's degree, nounmatriculate, verbmature student, nounMBA, nounMEd, nounmedic, nounmedical school, nounMFA, nounmidterm, nounMilitary Academy, nounminor, nounMLitt, nounmortarboard, nounMPhil, nounM.Sc., nounOpen University, the, option, nounoral, nounOxbridge, nounPhD, nounPhi Beta Kappa, nounpledge, nounpledge, verbpoly, nounpolytechnic, nounpost doctoral, adjectivepost-grad, nounpostgraduate, nounpostgraduate, adjectivepractical, nounprof, nounprofessor, nounprofessorial, adjectiveprofessorship, nounProvost, nounqualified, adjectivequarter, nounrag, nounread, verbreadership, nounredbrick, adjectiverush, verbrush, nounsandwich course, nounschool, nounsemester, nounseminar, nounseminary, nounsenate, nounsenior, nounsingle honours, nounsophomore, nounsorority, nounspring break, nounstate university, nounstudent union, nounsubject, nounsumma cum laude, adverbsummer school, nounsurvey course, nounsyllabus, nountech, nountechnical college, nountenure, nountermly, adjectivetertiary education, nountheological college, nounthesis, nounthird, nounthird class, nountutor, nountutorial, nountutorial, adjective2.1, nountwo-two, nounU., undergraduate, noununi, nounUniv., university, nounupperclassman, nounupperclasswoman, nounvac, nounvacation, nounvarsity, nounvice-chancellor, nounvisiting professor, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He wrote his doctoral thesis on contemporary French literature. Their main thesis was that the rise in earnings was due to improvements in education. a paragraph introducing your thesis statementCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
1a long piece of writing about a particular subject that you do as part of an advanced university degree such as an MA or a PhD: He wrote his doctoral thesis on contemporary French literature. Their main thesis was that the rise in earnings was due to improvements in education. a paragraph introducing your thesis statement· Veblen's central thesis was that emulation took the form of engaging in a conspicuous way in honorific as opposed to merely useful pursuits.
· Kostunica wrote his doctoral thesis in 1976 attesting to the vital role played by political opposition groups in the West.· From this initial dissatisfaction my own doctoral thesis developed.
· His main thesis is that the empirical evidence does not validate the instrumental account.
NOUN· Such an analysis of the thesis titles is in preparation by the present author.· He went on to compare the thesis title with the title of the paper, to determine whether a relationship might exist.
VERB· I want to develop the stronger thesis that criticism is the essence of higher education.· An examination of Lacanian psychoanalysis will therefore assist in developing my thesis that philosophical texts represent a form of self-construction.· Durkheim developed this ingenious thesis by contrasting the economic and social conditions in primitive and modern societies.
· The significant discontinuities elsewhere support the thesis of adversary politics.· But there is evidence to support my thesis that status and occupation are as important as cash.· First, there is evidence to support the thesis that investing substantial public expenditure into declining areas will attract future private investment.
· He really took the matter to heart and finally wrote his Master's thesis on the subject.· He had traveled with a group of Rajput grazers into Haryana, later writing a thesis about them.· Tolkien was not writing to a thesis.· Kostunica wrote his doctoral thesis in 1976 attesting to the vital role played by political opposition groups in the West.
Cynthia’s still working on her thesis.graduate/master’s/doctoral thesis He wrote his doctoral thesis on contemporary French literature.2formal an idea or opinion about something, that you discuss in a formal way and give examples for: Their main thesis was that the rise in earnings was due to improvements in education.3American English in writing, the thesis is the sentence or group of sentences which state what the main idea of an essay is: a paragraph introducing your thesis statement