thesis statement noun meaning

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Definition of thesis

Did you know.

In high school, college, or graduate school, students often have to write a thesis on a topic in their major field of study. In many fields, a final thesis is the biggest challenge involved in getting a master's degree, and the same is true for students studying for a Ph.D. (a Ph.D. thesis is often called a dissertation ). But a thesis may also be an idea; so in the course of the paper the student may put forth several theses (notice the plural form) and attempt to prove them.

Examples of thesis in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thesis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

in sense 3, Middle English, lowering of the voice, from Late Latin & Greek; Late Latin, from Greek, downbeat, more important part of a foot, literally, act of laying down; in other senses, Latin, from Greek, literally, act of laying down, from tithenai to put, lay down — more at do

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a(1)

Dictionary Entries Near thesis

the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children

thesis novel

Cite this Entry

“Thesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thesis. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of thesis, more from merriam-webster on thesis.

Nglish: Translation of thesis for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of thesis for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about thesis

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Writing a Paper: Thesis Statements

Basics of thesis statements.

The thesis statement is the brief articulation of your paper's central argument and purpose. You might hear it referred to as simply a "thesis." Every scholarly paper should have a thesis statement, and strong thesis statements are concise, specific, and arguable. Concise means the thesis is short: perhaps one or two sentences for a shorter paper. Specific means the thesis deals with a narrow and focused topic, appropriate to the paper's length. Arguable means that a scholar in your field could disagree (or perhaps already has!).

Strong thesis statements address specific intellectual questions, have clear positions, and use a structure that reflects the overall structure of the paper. Read on to learn more about constructing a strong thesis statement.

Being Specific

This thesis statement has no specific argument:

Needs Improvement: In this essay, I will examine two scholarly articles to find similarities and differences.

This statement is concise, but it is neither specific nor arguable—a reader might wonder, "Which scholarly articles? What is the topic of this paper? What field is the author writing in?" Additionally, the purpose of the paper—to "examine…to find similarities and differences" is not of a scholarly level. Identifying similarities and differences is a good first step, but strong academic argument goes further, analyzing what those similarities and differences might mean or imply.

Better: In this essay, I will argue that Bowler's (2003) autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's (2007) theory of social cognition, can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover.

The new revision here is still concise, as well as specific and arguable.  We can see that it is specific because the writer is mentioning (a) concrete ideas and (b) exact authors.  We can also gather the field (business) and the topic (management and employee turnover). The statement is arguable because the student goes beyond merely comparing; he or she draws conclusions from that comparison ("can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover").

Making a Unique Argument

This thesis draft repeats the language of the writing prompt without making a unique argument:

Needs Improvement: The purpose of this essay is to monitor, assess, and evaluate an educational program for its strengths and weaknesses. Then, I will provide suggestions for improvement.

You can see here that the student has simply stated the paper's assignment, without articulating specifically how he or she will address it. The student can correct this error simply by phrasing the thesis statement as a specific answer to the assignment prompt.

Better: Through a series of student interviews, I found that Kennedy High School's antibullying program was ineffective. In order to address issues of conflict between students, I argue that Kennedy High School should embrace policies outlined by the California Department of Education (2010).

Words like "ineffective" and "argue" show here that the student has clearly thought through the assignment and analyzed the material; he or she is putting forth a specific and debatable position. The concrete information ("student interviews," "antibullying") further prepares the reader for the body of the paper and demonstrates how the student has addressed the assignment prompt without just restating that language.

Creating a Debate

This thesis statement includes only obvious fact or plot summary instead of argument:

Needs Improvement: Leadership is an important quality in nurse educators.

A good strategy to determine if your thesis statement is too broad (and therefore, not arguable) is to ask yourself, "Would a scholar in my field disagree with this point?" Here, we can see easily that no scholar is likely to argue that leadership is an unimportant quality in nurse educators.  The student needs to come up with a more arguable claim, and probably a narrower one; remember that a short paper needs a more focused topic than a dissertation.

Better: Roderick's (2009) theory of participatory leadership  is particularly appropriate to nurse educators working within the emergency medicine field, where students benefit most from collegial and kinesthetic learning.

Here, the student has identified a particular type of leadership ("participatory leadership"), narrowing the topic, and has made an arguable claim (this type of leadership is "appropriate" to a specific type of nurse educator). Conceivably, a scholar in the nursing field might disagree with this approach. The student's paper can now proceed, providing specific pieces of evidence to support the arguable central claim.

Choosing the Right Words

This thesis statement uses large or scholarly-sounding words that have no real substance:

Needs Improvement: Scholars should work to seize metacognitive outcomes by harnessing discipline-based networks to empower collaborative infrastructures.

There are many words in this sentence that may be buzzwords in the student's field or key terms taken from other texts, but together they do not communicate a clear, specific meaning. Sometimes students think scholarly writing means constructing complex sentences using special language, but actually it's usually a stronger choice to write clear, simple sentences. When in doubt, remember that your ideas should be complex, not your sentence structure.

Better: Ecologists should work to educate the U.S. public on conservation methods by making use of local and national green organizations to create a widespread communication plan.

Notice in the revision that the field is now clear (ecology), and the language has been made much more field-specific ("conservation methods," "green organizations"), so the reader is able to see concretely the ideas the student is communicating.

Leaving Room for Discussion

This thesis statement is not capable of development or advancement in the paper:

Needs Improvement: There are always alternatives to illegal drug use.

This sample thesis statement makes a claim, but it is not a claim that will sustain extended discussion. This claim is the type of claim that might be appropriate for the conclusion of a paper, but in the beginning of the paper, the student is left with nowhere to go. What further points can be made? If there are "always alternatives" to the problem the student is identifying, then why bother developing a paper around that claim? Ideally, a thesis statement should be complex enough to explore over the length of the entire paper.

Better: The most effective treatment plan for methamphetamine addiction may be a combination of pharmacological and cognitive therapy, as argued by Baker (2008), Smith (2009), and Xavier (2011).

In the revised thesis, you can see the student make a specific, debatable claim that has the potential to generate several pages' worth of discussion. When drafting a thesis statement, think about the questions your thesis statement will generate: What follow-up inquiries might a reader have? In the first example, there are almost no additional questions implied, but the revised example allows for a good deal more exploration.

Thesis Mad Libs

If you are having trouble getting started, try using the models below to generate a rough model of a thesis statement! These models are intended for drafting purposes only and should not appear in your final work.

• In this essay, I argue ____, using ______ to assert _____.
• While scholars have often argued ______, I argue______, because_______.
• Through an analysis of ______, I argue ______, which is important because_______.

Words to Avoid and to Embrace

When drafting your thesis statement, avoid words like explore, investigate, learn, compile, summarize , and explain to describe the main purpose of your paper. These words imply a paper that summarizes or "reports," rather than synthesizing and analyzing.

Instead of the terms above, try words like argue, critique, question , and interrogate . These more analytical words may help you begin strongly, by articulating a specific, critical, scholarly position.

Read Kayla's blog post for tips on taking a stand in a well-crafted thesis statement.

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thesis noun

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What does the noun thesis mean?

There are eight 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

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun thesis ?

How is the noun thesis pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun thesis come from.

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the noun thesis is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for thesis is from before 1398, in a translation by John Trevisa, translator.

thesis is a borrowing from Greek.

Etymons: Greek θέσις .

Nearby entries

• thesaurus, n. 1823–
• thesaury, n. a1639–1708
• these, n. a1600–48
• these, pron. & adj. Old English–
• Thesean, adj. 1815–
• Theseid, n. 1725–
• Theseium, n. 1819–
• these-like, adj. 1644–
• thesial, adj. 1654
• thesicle, n. 1863–
• thesis, n. a1398–
• thesis-novel, n. 1934–
• thesis-play, n. 1902–
• thesmophilist, n. 1644–
• Thesmophorian, adj. 1891–
• Thesmophoric, adj. 1788–
• thesmothete, n. 1603–
• thesocyte, n. 1887–
• thesp, n. 1962–
• Thespian, adj. & n. 1675–
• Thespianism, n. 1914–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for thesis, n..

thesis, n. was first published in 1912; not yet revised.

thesis, n. was last modified in March 2024.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into thesis, n. in March 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1912)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

• View thesis in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for thesis, n., browse entry.

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of thesis in English

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• I wrote my thesis on literacy strategies for boys .
• Her main thesis is that children need a lot of verbal stimulation .
• boilerplate
• composition
• corresponding author
• dissertation
• essay question
• peer review

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

thesis | American Dictionary

Examples of thesis, collocations with thesis.

These are words often used in combination with thesis .

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Translations of thesis

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Definition of thesis noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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• formulate/advance a theory/hypothesis
• build/construct/create/develop a simple/theoretical/mathematical model
• develop/establish/provide/use a theoretical/conceptual framework/an algorithm
• advance/argue/develop the thesis that…
• explore an idea/a concept/a hypothesis
• make a prediction/an inference
• base a prediction/your calculations on something
• investigate/evaluate/accept/challenge/reject a theory/hypothesis/model
• design an experiment/a questionnaire/a study/a test
• do research/an experiment/an analysis
• make observations/calculations
• take/record measurements
• carry out/conduct/perform an experiment/a test/a longitudinal study/observations/clinical trials
• run an experiment/a simulation/clinical trials
• repeat an experiment/a test/an analysis
• replicate a study/the results/the findings
• observe/study/examine/investigate/assess a pattern/a process/a behavior
• fund/support the research/project/study
• seek/provide/get/secure funding for research
• collect/gather/extract data/information
• yield data/evidence/similar findings/the same results
• analyze/examine the data/soil samples/a specimen
• consider/compare/interpret the results/findings
• fit the data/model
• confirm/support/verify a prediction/a hypothesis/the results/the findings
• prove a conjecture/hypothesis/theorem
• draw/make/reach the same conclusions
• read/review the records/literature
• describe/report an experiment/a study
• present/publish/summarize the results/findings
• present/publish/read/review/cite a paper in a scientific journal

Nearby words

• 1.1 Etymology
• 1.2 Pronunciation
• 1.3.1 Derived terms
• 1.3.2 Related terms
• 1.3.3 Translations
• 1.4 References
• 1.5 Further reading
• 1.6 Anagrams
• 2.1 Etymology
• 2.2 Pronunciation
• 3.1 Etymology
• 3.2 Pronunciation
• 3.3.1 Declension
• 3.3.2 Descendants
• 3.4 References

English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ].

From Late Middle English thesis ( “ lowering of the voice ” ) [1] and also borrowed directly from its etymon Latin thesis ( “ proposition, thesis; lowering of the voice ” ) , from Ancient Greek θέσῐς ( thésis , “ arrangement, placement, setting; conclusion, position, thesis; lowering of the voice ” ) , from τῐ́θημῐ ( títhēmi , “ to place, put, set; to put down in writing; to consider as, regard ” ) [2] [3] (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ( “ to do; to place, put ” ) ) + -σῐς ( -sis , 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 . [2] 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 ) .

Pronunciation [ edit ]

• ( Received Pronunciation ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθiːsɪs/ , ( archaic ) /ˈθɛsɪs/
• ( General American ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθisɪs/
• Rhymes: -iːsɪs
• Hyphenation: the‧sis
• ( Received Pronunciation ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθiːsiːz/
• ( General American ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈθisiz/
• Rhymes: -iːsiːz
• Hyphenation: the‧ses

Noun [ edit ]

thesis ( plural theses )

• ( rhetoric ) A proposition or statement supported by arguments .
• 1766 , [ Oliver Goldsmith ], “The Conclusion”, in The Vicar of Wakefield:   [ … ] , volume II, Salisbury, Wiltshire: [ … ] B. Collins, for F [ rancis ] Newbery ,   [ … ] , →OCLC ; reprinted London: Elliot Stock , 1885 , →OCLC , pages 218–219 : 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.
• ( mathematics , computer science ) A conjecture , especially one too vague to be formally stated or verified but useful as a working convention.
• ( logic ) An affirmation , or distinction from a supposition or hypothesis .
• ( philosophy ) 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 .
• ( music , prosody , originally ) 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 . Antonym: arsis
• ( music , prosody , with a reversal of meaning ) 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 .

Derived terms [ edit ]

• all but thesis
• bachelor's thesis
• Church-Turing thesis
• conflict thesis
• doctoral thesis
• graduate thesis
• Habakkuk thesis
• master's thesis
• Merton thesis
• private language thesis
• thesis defense
• thesis film
• thesis statement

Related terms [ edit ]

Translations [ edit ], references [ edit ].

• ^ “ thē̆sis, n. ”, in MED Online , Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan , 2007 .
• ^ “ thesis, n. ”, in Lexico , Dictionary.com ; Oxford University Press , 2019–2022 .

Further reading [ edit ]

• “ thesis ”, in The Century Dictionary   [ … ] , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co. , 1911 , →OCLC .
• “ thesis ”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary , Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam , 1913 , →OCLC .

Anagrams [ edit ]

• Heists , Sethis , heists , shiest , shites , sithes , thises

Dutch [ edit ]

From Latin thesis , from Ancient Greek θέσις ( thésis , “ a proposition, a statement, a thing laid down, thesis in rhetoric, thesis in prosody ” ) .

thesis   f ( plural theses or thesissen , diminutive thesisje   n )

• Dated form of these . Synonyms: dissertatie , proefschrift , scriptie

Latin [ edit ]

From Ancient Greek θέσις ( thésis , “ a proposition, a statement, a thing laid down, thesis in rhetoric, thesis in prosody ” ) .

• ( Classical Latin ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈtʰe.sis/ , [ˈt̪ʰɛs̠ɪs̠]
• ( modern Italianate Ecclesiastical ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈte.sis/ , [ˈt̪ɛːs̬is]

thesis   f ( genitive thesis ) ; third declension

Declension [ edit ]

Descendants [ edit ].

• → Dutch: thesis
• → Armenian: թեզ ( tʻez )
• → Dutch: these
• → Persian: تز ( tez )
• → Romanian: teză
• → Turkish: tez
• Galician: tese
• Italian: tesi
• English: thesis
• Portuguese: tese
• Spanish: tesis
• “ thesis ”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short ( 1879 ) A Latin Dictionary , Oxford: Clarendon Press
• thesis in Gaffiot, Félix ( 1934 ) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français , Hachette.

• English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
• English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰeh₁-
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Thesis Definition

• dissertation
• master's essay
• master's paper
• requirement for graduation

Other Word Forms of Thesis

Origin of thesis.

Latin from Greek from tithenai to put dhē- in Indo-European roots Senses 5 and 6, Middle English from Late Latin lowering of the voice from Greek downbeat

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

From Latin thesis , from Ancient Greek θέσις (thesis, “a proposition, a statement, a thing laid down, thesis in rhetoric, thesis in prosody")

From Wiktionary

Thesis Sentence Examples

First, we will list the basics of my thesis about the future.

Withers had proposed a disputation against vestments, which the university would not allow; his thesis affirming the excommunicating power of the presbytery was sustained.

The central apologetic thesis is the uniqueness of the "only-begotten"; it is here that " the supernatural " passes into the substance of Christian faith.

As much as I would like to continue with speculations about molecular-sized machines, I have a larger thesis to prove.

Laud early took up a position of antagonism to the Calvinistic party in the church, and in 1604 was reproved by the authorities for maintaining in his thesis for the degree of B.D.

Related Articles

Thesis Is Also Mentioned In

• graduate thesis
• master-s-thesis
• roman à thèse
• thesis statement
• curry-howard-correspondence
• disputation

Find Similar Words

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Words Starting With

Words ending with, unscrambles, words starting with t and ending with s, word length, words near thesis in the dictionary.

• the shirt off one's back
• the shoemaker's children go barefoot
• the show must go on
• the sky is the limit
• the-shoe-is-on-the-other-foot
• the-snow-queen
• thesmothete

Dictionary definition of thesis

A statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved. "The thesis was published in an academic journal and received widespread recognition."

Detailed meaning of thesis

The thesis is typically a central idea or argument that is developed and presented in a written work, such as a dissertation or research paper. In higher education, a thesis is often a requirement for a graduate degree, such as a Master's or a PhD. The thesis is usually written under the supervision of a thesis advisor or mentor, and it presents original research or an original interpretation of existing research on a specific topic. The main purpose of a thesis is to contribute new knowledge and understanding to the field of study. It must be based on a rigorous research, the results must be presented in a logical and coherent manner and it must be written in a scholarly manner. Additionally, the thesis should demonstrate the student's ability to conduct independent research, to critically evaluate the existing literature, and to communicate their ideas effectively.

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Example sentences containing thesis

1. Her thesis on renewable energy proposed innovative solutions for sustainability. 2. The professor praised the clarity of his student's thesis on social inequality. 3. The thesis of his argument was that technology enhances human communication. 4. The thesis of the book challenged conventional wisdom on economic policy. 5. Grad students often spend years researching and writing their theses. 6. The thesis behind the research project aimed to address pressing health issues.

History and etymology of thesis

The noun ' thesis ' has its etymological roots in ancient Greek. It is derived from the Greek word 'θέσις' (thésis), which means 'a setting down' or 'a position.' In the context of ancient Greece, ' thesis ' was used to refer to a proposition or statement that was put forward as the basis of an argument or discussion. It represented a foundational idea or premise that was to be maintained or proved through reasoning and evidence. As the term entered the English language, it retained this fundamental sense and is now commonly used to describe a statement or theory that serves as the central point of an argument or research project. It embodies the concept of a position or assertion that is presented for examination and verification. Therefore, the etymology of ' thesis ' underscores its use as a noun to denote a statement or theory set forth as a premise to be upheld or substantiated.

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Further usage examples of thesis

1. She defended her thesis before a panel of expert examiners. 2. The conference featured presentations on a wide range of academic theses. 3. His groundbreaking thesis reshaped the field of quantum physics. 4. The thesis statement should encapsulate the main argument of your essay. 5. The thesis explored the intersection of art, culture, and identity in society. 6. The professor praised the student's thesis for its originality and depth. 7. His thesis explored the intersection of psychology and literature. 8. The defense of her thesis was a nerve-wracking but rewarding experience. 9. The thesis statement succinctly summarized the main argument of the paper. 10. The committee members engaged in a lively debate about the merits of the thesis . 11. The thesis proposed a new framework for understanding economic inequality. 12. After hours of editing, her thesis was finally ready for submission. 13. The library had an extensive collection of theses from various academic fields. 14. He was awarded a scholarship for his outstanding thesis on urban planning. 15. The thesis challenged existing theories and presented a fresh perspective. 16. The thesis project required extensive fieldwork and data analysis. 17. Her thesis was published in a reputable journal, gaining widespread recognition. 18. The thesis defense was attended by faculty members, peers, and family. 19. The thesis examined the historical context of the Renaissance art movement. 20. The graduate student presented her thesis findings at an international conference. 21. The thesis highlighted the need for further research in the field of genetics. 22. The thesis concluded with a call to action for policy changes in healthcare. 23. The advisor provided valuable guidance throughout the thesis writing process. 24. The thesis was a culmination of years of research and academic dedication.

Quiz categories containing thesis

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idea,proposal,subject

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proposition, fact, certainty, proof

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argument,assertion,hypothesis,postulate,proposition,supposition

Advancement and Improvement, Analytical and Interpretive, Nuance and Precision, Resilience and Resolve, Endeavor and Pursuit, Education and Mastery