thesis

[thee-sis] /ˈθi sɪs/
noun, plural theses
[thee-seez] /ˈθi siz/ (Show IPA)
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.
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.
Compare arsis (def 1).
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.
    Compare arsis (def 2).
6.
Philosophy, See under Hegelian dialectic.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek thésis a setting down, something set down, equivalent to the- (stem of tithénai to put, set down) + -sis -sis
Can be confused
antithesis, synthesis, thesis.
dissertation, thesis.
Synonyms
1. theory, contention, proposal.

Hegelian dialectic

noun
1.
an interpretive method, originally used to relate specific entities or events to the absolute idea, in which some assertible proposition (thesis) is necessarily opposed by an equally assertible and apparently contradictory proposition (antithesis) the mutual contradiction being reconciled on a higher level of truth by a third proposition (synthesis)
Examples from the web for thesis
  • If the idea is from your thesis or dissertation, then the first author is almost always the student.
  • There, she collected specimens for her undergraduate honors thesis on the micro-structure of domestic sheep bones.
  • More important, several things that you'd expect to see if the deleveraging thesis were correct haven't happened.
  • The benches were empty, no one waiting to see their thesis director.
  • For my optimistic thesis to hold up, this must turn out to be a blip.
  • Her thesis research was on the ecophysiology of epidermal lipids and water homeostasis in house sparrows.
  • She/he did not support that thesis with mention of evidence or links, though they may be known by the author.
  • My thesis is that changes on the margins can be enough to tilt a society or culture in a new direction.
  • The thesis of this article makes absolute sense to me, but it is a difficult one to prove through experiment.
  • The thesis there contradicts his supporting theory here.
British Dictionary definitions for thesis

thesis

/ˈθiːsɪs/
noun (pl) -ses (-siːz)
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
Word Origin
C16: via Late Latin from Greek: a placing, from tithenai to place

Hegelian dialectic

/hɪˈɡeɪlɪan, heɪˈɡiː-/
noun
1.
(philosophy) an interpretive method in which the contradiction between a proposition (thesis) and its antithesis is resolved at a higher level of truth (synthesis)
Word Origin and History for thesis
n.

late 14c., "unaccented syllable or note," from Latin thesis "unaccented syllable in poetry," later "stressed part of a metrical foot," from Greek thesis "a proposition," also "downbeat" (in music), originally "a setting down or placing," from root of tithenai "to place, put, set," from PIE root *dhe- "to put, to do" (see factitious). Sense in logic of "a proposition, statement to be proved" is first recorded 1570s; that of "dissertation written by a candidate for a university degree" is from 1650s.

thesis in Culture

thesis definition


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