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Understanding what a thesis is can help you improve your written and spoken communication.
There are countless different contexts where this word is used, and knowing how to properly use it can help you communicate effectively in your field. If you want to be the most effective and successful communicator possible, feel free to read and learn about this essential word !
This is everything you need to know about what this word means, where it comes from in etymology, and how it is used.
The definition of thesis (ˈθi sɪs, ˈθiːsɪs, the-sis, plural theses) in American English is the main idea presented in an essay. In other words, the central message of the piece. Behind every literary device and rhetorical strategy stands a thesis. Thesis statements don’t just appear at the beginning of your paper; they should be woven into every sentence you write.
Your thesis statement will probably be one of two things: an assertion that something is true or an argument for why something should be done (or not done).
A Thesis statement is a sentence that contains the main idea of a written work.
All other sentences in a paper should explain, prove, or describe this main idea. Thesis statements are often used in reports to express a central message of an essay or article. Researchers commonly use them to propose a hypothesis and then test it with evidence from their study.
If you look in a thesaurus for word lists of synonyms for the word thesis, you’ll likely find words including:
When it comes to the world of academics, the word thesis has another similar yet different meaning.
A thesis is a long-form piece of writing, often a research paper, that is used as the final project of a university degree, like a master’s degree.
A master’s thesis is a project that contains lots of original research and is used to cap off an academic degree. It is how a student takes an unproved statement and then proves it through extensive writing.
If you’re studying a language like Greek, Spanish, Arabic, or Late Latin, you’ll likely have to do an extensive study — and write a thesis — to prove your knowledge of the language. The main goal of a thesis is to establish the synthesis of knowledge that a student is capable of and ensure that they can operate well in the academic world.
Before a student or researcher begins writing a paper, they must have a thesis statement. This thesis statement is one sentence that describes how you will support your argument and what evidence you will provide in your paper. In many cases, it is the last sentence of your introduction paragraph and appears again as the first sentence of the body paragraph:
A thesis statement usually evolves only after considerable reading, writing, and thinking has been done on your topic. Your thesis changes and develops as you write it, so by the time you arrive at the end, you will know what your paper is about and should be able to sum it up clearly in a sentence or two.
The word thesis comes from the Greek word θέσις (thésis), which means “placement” or “setting.” The term was first used in English in 1632 by William Lilly. As time has progressed, the word has entered into many different languages, including Latin tithenai , French, and Middle English.
Throughout its different stages of development, the word has remained relatively the same. However, this word’s collocations and more specific meanings have gradually changed over the years.
Luckily, as long as you’re only sticking to English, thesis is a word with meanings that are relatively consistent and easy to understand!
One of the best ways to learn how to use a word is by seeing it in use in the context of actual-world sentences and conversations.
Here are some excellent examples of thesis being used in everyday sentences, so you can start using the word for yourself!
As he started his conversation, the lowering of his voice enticed everyone to listen intently to his thesis presentation.
The first research stage for her doctoral thesis meant studying the Hegelian people.
Mr. Tese’s master’s thesis primarily focused on a tiny part of a metrical foot in poetry, which was reasonably interesting for many poets.
My entire paper’s central thesis was based on how the downbeat is not the most crucial part of music — the backbeat is.
My professor keeps telling me that the thesis statement is, by far, the most critical part of any essay, and I’m starting to believe her.
It took nearly six months to write the first draft of my thesis, which was really exhausting.
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Sources:
Thesis Definition & Meaning | Merriam-Webster
Thesis definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
Thesis – Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
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Published on September 13, 2023 by Kassiani Nikolopoulou .
A root word is the most basic form of a word that cannot be further divided into meaningful segments. Root words are used to form new words by adding letters at the beginning (i.e., a prefix) and/or the end (i.e., a suffix).
For example, the word “unfaithful” is made up of these different parts:
prefix root word suffix
By adding a suffix and/or a prefix to a root word like “faith,” we can make other words such as “faithful,” “faithfully,” “unfaithful,” and “unfaithfully . ” These words are linked both in terms of spelling and meaning and are called a word family .
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What are root words, example root words, latin root words (free downloadable list), greek root words (free downloadable list), worksheet: root words, frequently asked questions about root words.
A root word is the fundamental unit of a word. A root word has nothing added at the beginning or the end. While some root words are standalone words in English, others need a prefix (like “anti-” or “un-”) and/or a suffix (like “-able” or “-ist”) to create a meaningful word.
For example, “cede” is a root word for other words like “recede” or “precedent,” but it is also a word on its own (meaning “to give up”). On the other hand, the root word “struct” does not constitute an understandable word in itself and other letters need to be added for it to make sense (e.g, “instructor,” “destruction,” “structural”).
Many words are created from Latin or Greek root words and usually cannot function as standalone words in English. For example, “chrono” comes from Greek and is the root of words like “chronology,” “synchronize,” and “chronic,” but it’s not a separate word in English.
Learning about root words can help you work out the meaning of new or longer words. When you know how to decode unknown words by identifying their root words and affixes (i.e., the prefix or suffix attached to them), you can navigate more complex or specialized texts. For example, many root words derived from Latin and Greek are common in math and science terminology, like “centi” (“hundred”) or “geo” (“earth”).
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Some root words can be used independently, while others need to be combined with a prefix (i.e., letters at the beginning), a suffix (i.e., letters at the end) or another root word (e.g., -logue) to form a standalone word.
act | to do | react, action, activity |
centr/o/i | center | eccentric, egocentric, centrifuge |
cycl | circle | cycle, bicycle, encyclopedia |
domin | master | domineering, dominate, dominant |
ego | I ( singular) | egomaniac, egotistic, superego |
employ | apply/make use of | unemployment, employee, disemploy |
form | shape | uniform, formality, information |
friend | friend | unfriendly, befriend, friendship |
norm | a carpenter’s square/ a pattern | abnormal, enormous, normalize |
note | comment upon | keynote, denote, connotation |
place | spot | misplaced, displaced, workplace |
use | take or hold | user, useless, misuse |
The terms root words and base words are often used interchangeably. However, they are not exactly the same. While root words cannot always be used as standalone words in English, base words can be used on their own or combined with other words or letters to create complex words.
For example, “code” is a base word that can be used independently or to create other words like “barcode,” “decode,” or “codify.” On the other hand, the root word “aud” (which comes from Latin) cannot be used by itself and has to be combined with other letters to form words like “auditorium,” “audition,” and “audible.” Because many root words are of Latin or Greek origin, they don’t make sense as independent words in English.
Sometimes, root words and base words overlap. For example, the word “act” is a root word of Latin origin, but also a standalone word in English. By adding a prefix or suffix, we get new words like “reaction,” “exact,” and “actor.” In this case, “act” is both a root word and a base word.
Below is a list containing common Latin root words, their meaning, and examples of words based on each root. You can also download this list in the format of your choice below.
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anim(a) | breath or soul | animate, animal, unanimous |
aqua | water | aquarium, aquatic, aquamarine |
aud | to hear/listen | audio, inaudible, audition |
bene | good | benefactor, benefit, benign |
brev | short | abbreviation, brevity, brief |
cand/cend | to glow/shine | incandescent, candid, candidate |
carn | meat or flesh | carnivorous, carnage, reincarnation |
cred | to believe/trust | incredible, credentials, creed |
dict/dic | to say | dictionary, diction, dedicate |
doc | to teach | doctrine, docile, document |
don | to give/grant | donor, condone, pardon |
duce/duct | to lead | deduce, induction, produce |
hospit | host, guest | hospital, inhospitable, hostess |
jur/jus | law/right/oath | conjure, jurisdiction, justice |
libr | book | library, libretto, librarian |
luc/lum | brightness/clarity | elucidate, lucid, illuminate |
magn | great/large | magnanimous, magnificent, magnifying |
manu | hand | manuscript, manicure, manipulate |
pac | peace | Pacific, pacifier, pacifist |
port | to carry | export, import, reporter |
scrib/script | to write | describe, script, nondescript |
sens | to feel | sense, consensus, desensitize |
terr | earth | terrain, territory, extraterrestrial |
vac | empty | evacuate, vacancy, vacuum |
vis/vid | to see | invisible, video, evidence |
Below is a list containing common Greek root words, their meaning, and examples of words based on each root. You can also download this list in the format of your choice below.
aero | air | aerodynamic, aeronautics, aerobic |
aesthet | related to the senses | aesthetic, anesthetic, anesthesia |
anthrop | human | anthropology, misanthrope, philanthropist |
astro/aster | star | astronomy, astronaut, asteroid |
auto | self | automatic, autobiography, autofocus |
biblio | book | bibliography, bible, bibliophile |
bio | life | biology, biography, symbiosis |
chrome | color | monochrome, chromosome, chromatic |
chrono | time | chronicle, chronological, synchronize |
cosm(o) | world/universe | cosmology, cosmopolitan, microcosm |
dyn | power | dynamic, dynamite, electrodynamics |
gnos | know | diagnosis, prognosticate, agnostic |
graph | write | telegraph, calligraphy, geography |
hydr | water | hydrogen, hydration, dehydrate |
logy | study | epistemology, ecology, trilogy |
mania | frenzy | mania, megalomaniac, egomania |
melan | black | melatonin, melamin, melancholy |
metr/meter | measure | metric, asymmetry, diameter |
narc | numbness/sleep | narcotic, narcolepsy, narcosis |
paleo | old | paleontology, Paleolithic, paleobotany |
phon | sound/voice | microphone, telephone, symphony |
photo | light | photograph, photon, photocopy |
psych | soul/spirit | psychology, psychiatrist, psychic |
rhe | flow | rhythm, rheology, diarrhea |
schem | shape/manner | scheme, schematic, schemer |
therm | heat | hypothermia, thermometer, thermostat |
Base words can stand alone, but can also be combined with other letters to create new words.
act | transaction |
appear | disappear |
break | unbreakable |
care | careful |
color | discolored |
do | undo |
harm | harmful |
honest | honestly |
hope | hopeless |
kind | kindness |
like | dislike |
love | beloved |
mark | unmarked |
pack | unpack |
paint | repainted |
place | displacement |
play | downplay |
reason | unreasonable |
spell | spellbound |
worth | worthless |
Want to test your understanding of root words? Try the worksheet below. In each sentence, see if you can identify the root word(s) of the highlighted word.
Although there is no particular rule for finding the root of a word, one way to do this is to check if the word has any affixes (suffix and/or prefix) added to it.
For example, the word “hyperactive” has the prefix “hyper-” (meaning “over”) and the suffix “-ive” (meaning “having the nature of”). If we remove the affixes, we get the root word (“act”).
The root word “dorm” means “sleep” in Latin. So words with this root word will have a meaning related to sleep. For example, the words “dormant,” “dormitory,” and “dormouse” all come from the same root word.
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Other forms: theses
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.
A thorough survey of various textbooks, assignments, content area standards, and examinations yields the following list of words compiled by Jim Burke . You cannot expect to succeed on assignments if you do not understand the directions.
Persuade yourself to study this list of words related to argumentative writing. You'll learn all about making claims, supporting arguments with evidence, and maintaining an objective tone. It's no fallacy that reviewing these words will improve your credibility as a writer.
To improve your fluency in English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR), learn this academic vocabulary list that includes words selected from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) state standards.
Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement..
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Examples of thesis, collocations with thesis.
These are words often used in combination with thesis .
Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.
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Word of the Day
get away from it all
to go somewhere, usually on holiday, where you can completely relax and forget your responsibilities or problems
Trial, judge, and jury: talking about what happens when a criminal is caught
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Definition of thesis noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
thesis. (n.). late 14c., "unaccented syllable or note, a lowering of the voice in music," from Latin thesis "unaccented syllable in poetry," later (and more correctly) "stressed part of a metrical foot," from Greek thesis "a proposition," also "downbeat" (in music), originally "a setting down, a placing, an arranging; position, situation" (from reduplicated form of PIE root *dhe-"to set, put").
The meaning of THESIS is a dissertation embodying results of original research and especially substantiating a specific view; especially : one written by a candidate for an academic degree. How to use thesis in a sentence. Did you know?
There are seven meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun thesis. See 'Meaning & use' for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. thesis has developed meanings and uses in subjects including. prosody (Middle English) music (Middle English) rhetoric (late 1500s) logic (late 1500s) education (late 1700s) philosophy (1830s)
The term thesis comes from the Greek word θέσις, meaning "something put forth", and refers to an intellectual proposition. Dissertation comes from the Latin dissertātiō, meaning "discussion". Aristotle was the first philosopher to define the term thesis.. A 'thesis' is a supposition of some eminent philosopher that conflicts with the general opinion...for to take notice when any ...
Thesis definition: a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections. See examples of THESIS used in a sentence.
thesis (plural theses) ( rhetoric) A proposition or statement supported by arguments. (by extension) A lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis (sense 1.1), especially one submitted in order to complete the requirements for a non- doctoral degree in the US and a doctoral degree in the UK; a dissertation .
thesis (that…) a statement or an opinion that is discussed in a logical way and presented with evidence in order to prove that it is true. The basic thesis of the book is fairly simple. These latest findings support the thesis that sexuality is determined by nature rather than choice.
The definition of thesis (ˈθi sɪs, ˈθiːsɪs, the-sis, plural theses) in American English is the main idea presented in an essay. In other words, the central message of the piece. Behind every literary device and rhetorical strategy stands a thesis. Thesis statements don't just appear at the beginning of your paper; they should be woven ...
Thesis definition: A proposition that is maintained by argument. A proposition maintained or defended in argument, formerly one publicly disputed by a candidate for a degree in a medieval university.
THESIS definition: 1. a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one that is done for a higher…. Learn more.
Root words are used to form new words by adding letters at the beginning (i.e., a prefix) and/or the end (i.e., a suffix). For example, the word "unfaithful" is made up of these different parts: prefix root word suffix. By adding a suffix and/or a prefix to a root word like "faith," we can make other words such as "faithful ...
7 meanings: 1. a dissertation resulting from original research, esp when submitted by a candidate for a degree or diploma 2. a.... Click for more definitions.
thesis: 1 n an unproved statement put forward as a premise in an argument Type of: assumption , premise , premiss a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn n a treatise advancing a new point of view resulting from research; usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree Synonyms: dissertation Type ...
THESIS meaning: 1. a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one that is done for a higher…. Learn more.
thesis in American English. (ˈθisɪs) noun Word forms: plural -ses (-siz) 1. a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, esp. 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.
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary app. 2 a statement or an opinion that is discussed in a logical way and presented with evidence in order to prove that it is true She concluded that there was no archaeological data to support the thesis that the town had been ...
It's an interesting thesis, but you haven't provided enough evidence to convince me of its validity.Martin Luther put forward the thesis that one can achieve one's own salvation without the intermediary of a priest. synonyms: exposition, premise, proposition similar words: argument, hypothesis, statement, theorem, theory: definition 2:
Thesis definition: . See examples of THESIS used in a sentence.
1. : a long piece of writing on a particular subject that is done to earn a degree at a university. She wrote her thesis on Renaissance Nativity scenes. a master's/doctoral thesis on the effects of global warming. 2. formal : a statement that someone wants to discuss or prove. New evidence supports his thesis. We disagreed with the basic thesis ...
An epithet is a short description or term that usually follows and augments someone's name, such as the word "great" in "Alfred the Great." parenthetical. A parenthetical remark further explains or qualifies information. synthesis. A synthesis is the combination or blend of two or more things to form a new whole. thesis
Syn and Thesis- Greek root words. Syn. Click the card to flip 👆. with,together. Click the card to flip 👆.
Thesis. A position taken in a argument supported by a set of reasons. Theme. An essay or composition on a certain subject with a statement and supporting reasons. Parenthesis. (Para - beside) - statement beside (or inside) a main sentence. Synthetic. (Syn-Together) elements put together to make a material like a natural one (synthetic rubber ...
The former president's speech in Claremont, N.H., echoed his message of vengeance and grievance, as he called himself a "very proud election denier" and decried his legal entanglements, once ...