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10 Words With Unexpected Meanings

Words have meanings and some have more than one meaning. In the world of semantics, there are endless words and definitions behind them. Check out these 10 words with unexpected meanings to add to your vocabulary.

While the word enervate sounds remotely like energy, it’s quite the opposite. The verb enervate means to drain someone’s energy. The adjective enervated is being drained of energy.

Asnetic is a weird word for an awkward place in the body. It’s the place on your back between the shoulder blades. It’s a hard place to reach. The word isn’t always recognized by dictionaries, but it’s still a word and a body part.

Meldrop is a the word for mucus dripping from someone’s nose. The mucus could be a result of a cold or allergy. Use the word when you hand a tissue to a friend who’s sneezing.

Pusillanimous

The word pusillanimous is a long one and challenging to pronounce. It means lacking courage, being afraid. Something or someone can cause another to be pusillanimous.

There was nauseous and nauseated. Now, there’s the word nauseant. A nauseant causes nausea like a stomach bug, a scary amusement park ride or pregnancy hormones.

An agelast is someone who refuses to laugh. They have no sense of humor. The word’s syllables look like age last, but have no part of the definition.

A pot-valor is someone who takes on a sense of confidence and boldness as a result of drinking alcoholic beverages. The person might be louder and more jovial. They might sing karaoke or tell jokes.

Amatorculist

An amatorculist is someone with fake affection. They are insignificant in love. This could be a former lover.

Pulchritude

You’ve heard gorgeous, lovely and beautiful. Now, there’s the word pulchritude. Pulchritude means beauty.

Peristeronic

Peristeronic is a word relating to pigeons. Bird-watchers may be familiar with this obscure word. Next time you throw crumbs to pigeons, you’ll have a peristeronic sort of experience.

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meaning of a word thesis

Cambridge Dictionary

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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
  • 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.

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Translations of thesis

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meaning of a word thesis

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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 7 Nov. 2023.

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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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.

a subject for a composition or essay.

a dissertation on a particular subject in which one has done original research, as one presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.

Music . the downward stroke in conducting; downbeat. : Compare arsis (def. 1) .

a part of a metrical foot that does not bear the ictus or stress.

(less commonly) the part of a metrical foot that bears the ictus. : Compare arsis (def. 2) .

Philosophy . See under Hegelian dialectic .

Origin of thesis

Word story for thesis, other words for thesis, words that may be confused with thesis.

  • 1. antithesis , synthesis , thesis
  • 2. dissertation , thesis

Words Nearby thesis

  • shit will hit the fan, the
  • shoe is on the other foot, the
  • short end of the stick, the
  • The show must go on
  • thesis play
  • thesis statement
  • Sketch Book, The
  • Skin of Our Teeth, The
  • sky's the limit, the

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use thesis in a sentence

“The Saudis have been proving the thesis of the film — they do in fact have an army,” said Thor Halvorssen, founder and chief executive of the nonprofit Human Rights Foundation, which funded the movie.

It’s a hypothesis that Bush pursued in her master’s thesis , and last year she began attending virtual Goth parties in a final round of field work before defending her doctoral thesis later this year.

While this partnership was planned prior to the coronavirus outbreak, co-founder Jordana Kier said the pandemic instantly proved out the expansion thesis .

They’ve had to defend that thesis for a very, very long time in front of a variety of different customers and different people.

Over the past decade, In-Q-Tel has been one of the most active investors in the commercial space sector, with a broad investment thesis that touches many aspects of the sector.

In “Back Home,” Gil also revisits the nostalgia for the South explored in his Johns Hopkins thesis , “Circle of Stone.”

At least father and son were in alignment on this central thesis : acting “gay”—bad; being thought of as gay—bad.

Her doctoral thesis , says Ramin Takloo at the University of Illinois, was simply outstanding.

Marshall McLuhan long ago argued the now accepted thesis that different mediums have different influences on thinking.

He wrote his Master's thesis  on the underrepresentation of young people in Congress.

And indeed for most young men a college thesis is but an exercise for sharpening the wits, rarely dangerous in its later effects.

It will be for the reader to determine whether the main thesis of the book has gained or lost by the new evidence.

But the word thesis , when applied to Systems, does not mean the 'position' of single notes, but of groups of notes.

This conclusion, it need hardly be said, is in entire agreement with the main thesis of the preceding pages.

Sundry outlying Indians, with ammunition to waste, took belly and knee rests and strengthened the thesis to the contrary.

British Dictionary definitions for thesis

/ ( ˈθiːsɪs ) /

a dissertation resulting from original research, esp when submitted by a candidate for a degree or diploma

a doctrine maintained or promoted in argument

a subject for a discussion or essay

an unproved statement, esp one put forward as a premise in an argument

music the downbeat of a bar, as indicated in conducting

(in classical prosody) the syllable or part of a metrical foot not receiving the ictus : Compare arsis

philosophy the first stage in the Hegelian dialectic, that is challenged by the antithesis

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for thesis

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

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Definition of 'thesis'

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thesis in British English

Thesis in american english, examples of 'thesis' in a sentence thesis, cobuild collocations thesis, trends of thesis.

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In other languages thesis

  • American English : thesis / ˈθisɪs /
  • Brazilian Portuguese : tese
  • Chinese : 论点
  • European Spanish : tesis
  • French : thèse
  • German : These
  • Italian : tesi
  • Japanese : 主張
  • Korean : 논지
  • European Portuguese : tese
  • Latin American Spanish : tesis
  • Thai : ข้อสมมุติ, ข้อวินิจฉัย

Browse alphabetically thesis

  • thesis play
  • thesmothete
  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'T'

Related terms of thesis

  • academic thesis
  • central thesis
  • doctoral thesis
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Definition of thesis noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

  • Students must submit a thesis on an agreed subject within four years.
  • He presented this thesis for his PhD.
  • a thesis for a master's degree
  • He's doing a doctoral thesis on the early works of Shostakovich.
  • Many departments require their students to do a thesis defense.
  • She completed an MSc by thesis.
  • her thesis adviser at MIT
  • in a/​the thesis
  • thesis about

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Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

meaning of a word thesis

  Vocabulary      

What does THESIS mean?

Definitions for thesis ˈθi sɪs the·sis, this dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word thesis ., princeton's wordnet rate this definition: 4.0 / 3 votes.

thesis noun

an unproved statement put forward as a premise in an argument

dissertation, thesis noun

a treatise advancing a new point of view resulting from research; usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree

Wiktionary Rate this definition: 4.5 / 4 votes

A statement supported by arguments.

A written essay submitted for a university degree.

Etymology: From thesis, from θέσις

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

Thesis noun

A position; something laid down; affirmatively or negatively.

Etymology: these, Fr. ϑέσις.

The truth of what you here lay down, By some example should be shewn. An honest, but a simple pair, May serve to make this thesis clear. Matthew Prior.

ChatGPT Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

A thesis is a statement or theory that is proposed as a premise to be maintained or proven in a piece of academic writing. It is a substantial piece of work, usually produced as a requirement to obtain a degree or qualification, which involves in-depth research and findings on a particular subject matter.

Webster Dictionary Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

a position or proposition which a person advances and offers to maintain, or which is actually maintained by argument

hence, an essay or dissertation written upon specific or definite theme; especially, an essay presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree

an affirmation, or distinction from a supposition or hypothesis

the accented part of the measure, expressed by the downward beat; -- the opposite of arsis

the depression of the voice in pronouncing the syllables of a word

the part of the foot upon which such a depression falls

Freebase Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

A thesis or dissertation is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings. In some countries/universities, the word "thesis" or a cognate is used as part of a bachelor's or master's course, while "dissertation" is normally applied to a doctorate, while in others, the reverse is true. The word dissertation can at times be used to describe a treatise without relation to obtaining an academic degree. The term thesis is also used to refer to the general claim of an essay or similar work.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

thē′sis, n. a position or that which is set down or advanced for argument: a subject for a scholastic exercise: an essay on a theme:— pl. Theses (thē′sēz). — adj. Thet′ic .— adv. Thet′ically . [L.—Gr. ti-thē-mi , I set.]

Suggested Resources Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

Song lyrics by thesis -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by thesis on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

British national corpus.

Nouns Frequency

Rank popularity for the word 'THESIS' in Nouns Frequency: #1990

Anagrams for THESIS »

How to pronounce thesis.

Alex US English David US English Mark US English Daniel British Libby British Mia British Karen Australian Hayley Australian Natasha Australian Veena Indian Priya Indian Neerja Indian Zira US English Oliver British Wendy British Fred US English Tessa South African

How to say THESIS in sign language?

Chaldean Numerology

The numerical value of THESIS in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

Pythagorean Numerology

The numerical value of THESIS in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of THESIS in a Sentence

David Feldman :

The vast majority of experts now either agree with us or accept that there is a strong case for our thesis .

Wayne Kaufman :

This is just a kneejerk reaction, based on a bear thesis that Express Scripts will start to dictate prices, i don't see how this is any different than any other company in another sector getting more competition. Soon people will go through the stocks one-by-one to see which got oversold.

Miles Goslett :

A coroner is independent of the government, a coroner’s inquest goes into an investigation with an open mind, they don’t go into it to prove a thesis . A public inquiry into this man’s death was to prove a thesis , that he killed himself. It was a whitewash, a travesty.

Madeline Peltz :

The Republican Party was sort of testing this thesis about, do we continue down this path of Trumpism, of extreme election denial, and that was being reflected in the right wing media’s commentary on Brazil as well — they were testing that thesis both in the American elections and in the Brazilian elections.

This is just a knee-jerk reaction, based on a bear thesis that Express Scripts will start to dictate prices, i don't see how this is any different than any other company in another sector getting more competition. Soon people will go through the stocks one-by-one to see which got oversold.

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meaning of a word thesis

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Add to chrome, add to firefox, browse definitions.net, are you a words master, directed outward; marked by interest in others or concerned with external reality.

  • A.   ectomorphic
  • B.   incumbent
  • C.   extroversive
  • D.   omnifarious

Nearby & related entries:

  • theseus noun
  • THESIS noun
  • thesis statement
  • thesixtyone
  • Thesmophoria
  • thesmophoriazusae
  • thesmorphonis

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meaning of a word thesis

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COMMENTS

  1. Top Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Thesis

    Writing a thesis is a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Many students struggle with organizing their thoughts, conducting research, and putting their ideas into words. In this article, we’ll discuss the top mistakes to a...

  2. Unlocking Success: Strategies for Overcoming Writer’s Block in Thesis Writing

    Writing a thesis can be a daunting task, especially when faced with writer’s block. It is not uncommon for students to feel overwhelmed and struggle to find the right words to express their ideas. But fear not.

  3. 10 Words With Unexpected Meanings

    Words have meanings and some have more than one meaning. In the world of semantics, there are endless words and definitions behind them. Check out these 10 words with unexpected meanings to add to your vocabulary.

  4. THESIS

    His thesis was that World War I could have been avoided. (Definition of thesis from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University

  5. Thesis Definition & Meaning

    These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word '

  6. THESIS Definition & Usage Examples

    Thesis definition: a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections.

  7. Thesis

    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

  8. THESIS definition and meaning

    A thesis is a long piece of writing based on your own ideas and research that you do as part of a university degree, especially a higher degree such as a

  9. Thesis Definition & Meaning

    Word of the Day; Quizzes; Core Vocabulary; Browse the Dictionary. ×. Britannica

  10. Thesis Definition & Meaning

    Thesis Definition · A proposition maintained or defended in argument, formerly one publicly disputed by a candidate for a degree in a medieval university. · A

  11. Thesis

    A thesis ( pl. : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional

  12. thesis

    Word of the day rip to tear something or be torn quickly and violently.

  13. thesis noun

    thesis · ​. thesis (on something) a long piece of writing completed by a student as part of a university degree, based on their own research · ​. thesis (that…) a

  14. What does THESIS mean?

    The word dissertation can at times be used to describe a treatise without relation to obtaining an academic degree. The term thesis is also used to refer to the