noun
thesis
THEE-sihs
noun
1
A statement or claim put forward and supported by argument.
"The essay's central thesis is that education reduces poverty."
2
A long piece of research writing submitted to complete an academic degree.
"She spent two years researching her doctoral thesis."
"His master's thesis examined climate change policy in Europe."
How to Use Thesis
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the main argument of a piece of writing, or a long academic paper written to earn a degree.
UK vs US
In the UK, "thesis" usually refers to a doctoral (PhD) submission, while in the US it more often refers to a master's-level paper (with "dissertation" for the PhD).
Common pairings
write a thesis
defend a thesis
thesis statement
Word Forms
theses plural
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The essay's central _____ is that education reduces poverty.
Etymology
From Greek thesis ("a placing, proposition"), from tithemi ("to place, put").