Dictionary

thesis en · NOUN

Pronunciation

/ˈθisiz/ (General-American)
/ˈθisɪs/ (General-American)
(Received-Pronunciation) audio
/ˈθiːsɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
/ˈθiːsiːz/ (Received-Pronunciation)
(General-American) audio
/ˈθɛsɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation, archaic)
(Received-Pronunciation) audio

Etymology

From Late Middle English thesis (“lowering of the voice”) and also borrowed directly from its etymon Latin thesis (“proposition, thesis; lowering of the voice”), from Ancient Greek θέσῐς (thésĭs, “arrangement, placement, setting; conclusion, position, thesis; lowering of the voice”), from τῐ́θημῐ (tĭ́thēmĭ, “to place, put, set; to put down in writing; to consider as, regard”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to do; to place, put”)) + -σῐς (-sĭs, suffix forming abstract nouns or nouns of action, process, or result). The English word is a doublet of deed. Sense 1.1 (“proposition or statement supported by arguments”) is adopted from antithesis. Sense 1.4 (“initial stage of reasoning”) was first used by the German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762–1814), and later applied to the dialectical method of his countryman, the philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831). The plural form theses is borrowed from Latin thesēs, from Ancient Greek θέσεις (théseis).

Meanings

(rhetoric) Senses relating to logic, rhetoric, etc. ▸ A proposition or statement supported by arguments.
- I submit these nine theses to Wikipedia’s community and to the world. I do this, as Martin Luther said when he posted his famous 95 theses, “Out of love for the truth and the desire to elucidate it.” […] I am confident that every thesis stands on solid ground. 2025 September 30, Larry Sanger, “Nine Theses on Wikipedia”, in larrysanger.org:
(broadly) Senses relating to logic, rhetoric, etc. ▸ 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.
- I told them of the grave, becoming, and ſublime deportment they ſhould aſſume upon this myſtical occaſion, and read them two homilies and a theſis of my own compoſing, in order to prepare them. 1766, [Oliver Goldsmith], “The Conclusion”, in The Vicar of Wakefield: […], volume II, Salisbury, Wiltshire: […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC, pages 218–219:
Senses relating to logic, rhetoric, etc. ▸ A conjecture, especially one too vague to be formally stated or verified but useful as a working convention.
Senses relating to logic, rhetoric, etc. ▸ An affirmation, or distinction from a supposition or hypothesis.
Senses relating to logic, rhetoric, etc. ▸ In the dialectical method of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel: the initial stage of reasoning where a formal statement of a point is developed; this is followed by antithesis and synthesis.
(qualifier:originally) Senses relating to music and prosody. ▸ The action of lowering the hand or bringing down the foot when indicating a rhythm; hence, an accented part of a measure of music or verse indicated by this action; an ictus, a stress.
(with a reversal of meaning) Senses relating to music and prosody. ▸ A depression of the voice when pronouncing a syllables of a word; hence, the unstressed part of the metrical foot of a verse upon which such a depression falls, or an unaccented musical note.

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
theses	Number=Plur		lexicographic

Antonyms

arsis

Deriveds

Church-Turing thesis · doctoral thesis · Merton thesis · conflict thesis · counterthesis · nonthesis · blue water thesis · Habakkuk thesis · bachelor's thesis · graduate thesis · bowling alone thesis · thesis statement · private language thesis · e-thesis · all but thesis · thesis defense · Rothbarth-Habakkuk thesis · master's thesis

thetic · nonthetic · prothesis · prosthesis · thetically · synthesis · enthesis · apothesis · antithesis · hypothesis

Translations (161)

fi teesi (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · bg те́за (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · nl thesis (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · it tema (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · sh disertácija (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sk diplomová práca (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ka დისერტაცია (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · it tesi (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sv avhandling (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · es tesina (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · hu diplomamunka (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · fa-ira تِز (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · fi tutkielma (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tr sav (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · uk те́зис (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · uk поло́ження (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · fr thèse (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · de Masterarbeit (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · de Abschlussarbeit (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ko 테제 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · hu disszertáció (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tr dava (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · ko 론문 (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sk téza (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · tr bilimsel tez (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · az tezis (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · fa-ira تِز (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · ko 논제 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · enm thesis (depression of the voice when pronouncing a syllables of a word; hence, the unstressed part of the metrical foot of a verse upon which such a depression falls, or an unaccented musical note) · tr iddia (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · nb avhandling (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tr tez (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · be дысэрта́цыя (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · th นิพนธ์ (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · km និក្ខេបបទ (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ja 論文 (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ja テーゼ (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · ast tesis (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · fi diplomityö (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · da tese (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · nl these (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · et diplomitöö (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sl diplomsko delo (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sl disertacija (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sh дисерта́ција (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · mk теза (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · da afhandling (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · hy դիսերտացիա (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ja 論題 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · da disputats (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · de These (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · gu મહાશોધ નિબંધ (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · kk диссертация (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · uk дисерта́ція (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tl tikha (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · th ปริญญานิพนธ์ (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ca tesi (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · kk дипломдық жұмыс (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · hu tézis (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · id disertasi (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · nl proefschrift (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · de Diplomarbeit (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tg диссертатсия (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ast tesis (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sv dissertation (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · hu szakdolgozat (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · cmn 論文 /论文 (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · vi luận đề (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · uz dissertatsiya (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ca tesi (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · gl tese (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · fi opinnäytetyö (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sh те́за (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · da tesis (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · ja 定立 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · de Doktorarbeit (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sv tes (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · ms tesis (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · hy թեզ (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · mi tuhinga whakapae (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · eo tezo (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · az dissertasiya (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · sk dizertácia (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · et tees (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · yue 論題 /论题 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · az müddəa (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · pt tese (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · be дыпло́мная рабо́та (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · mi tuhinga whakapae (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · be палажэ́нне (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · yue 論點 /论点 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · fa-ira پایاننامِه (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ar أُطْرُوحَة (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ro disertație (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · lt disertacija (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ky диссертация (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ca tesi doctoral (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · bg теза (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ru положе́ние (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · pl praca dyplomowa (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tl katikhaan (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · pl dysertacja (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · gl tese (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · la thesis (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · pl teza (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · hy դիպլոմային աշխատանք (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · uz diplom ishi (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ko 론제 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · nb tese (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · ru те́зис (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · da speciale (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ja 主張 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · cs teze (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · yue 論文 /论文 (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · it tesi (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · es tesis doctoral (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · fa-ira رِسالِه (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · cmn 論題 /论题 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · nl scriptie (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · hy ատենախոսություն (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · grc θέσῐς (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · sh téza (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · cs diplomová práce (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · az diplom işi (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · mk дисертација (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · vi luận văn (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · be тэ́за (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · de Dissertation (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · fr thèse (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · lo ວິທະຍານິພົນ (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · uk дипло́мна робо́та (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · fi väitöskirja (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tl tikha (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · be дысерта́цыя (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ru дипло́мная рабо́та (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tr bitirme tezi (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · de Bachelorarbeit (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · bg дипломна работа (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · es tesis (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · uk те́за (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · fi väite (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · ms tesis (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · grc θέσῐς (depression of the voice when pronouncing a syllables of a word; hence, the unstressed part of the metrical foot of a verse upon which such a depression falls, or an unaccented musical note) · nn avhandling (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · tr tez (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · cmn 論點 /论点 (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · bg те́зис (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · la thesis (depression of the voice when pronouncing a syllables of a word; hence, the unstressed part of the metrical foot of a verse upon which such a depression falls, or an unaccented musical note) · be тэ́зіс (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · bg дисерта́ция (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · th วิทยานิพนธ์ (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ko 논문 (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ka თეზისი (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · gl tese de doutoramento (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · lv disertācija (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · he תֶּזָה (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ru диссерта́ция (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · ro teză (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · vi đồ án tốt nghiệp (lengthy essay written to establish the validity of a thesis, especially one submitted as a requirement for a university degree) · pt tese (proposition or statement supported by arguments) · sl teza (proposition or statement supported by arguments)

wikipedia: Johann Gottlieb Fichte · wikipedia: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel