thesis

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A proposition that is maintained by argument.
2. n. A dissertation advancing an original point of view as a result of research, especially as a requirement for an academic degree.
3. n. A hypothetical proposition, especially one put forth without proof.
4. n. The first stage of the Hegelian dialectic process.
5. n. The long or accented part of a metrical foot, especially in quantitative verse.
6. n. The unaccented or short part of a metrical foot, especially in accentual verse.
7. n. Music The accented section of a measure.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The formulation in advance of a proposition to be proved; a position; a proposition which one advances and offers to maintain by argument against objections.
2. n. Hence An essay or dissertation upon a specific or definite theme, as an essay presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree, as for that of doctor.
3. n. A theme; a subject propounded for a school or college exercise; the exercise itself.
4. n. A premise assumed and not proved, although not self-evident; either a postulate or a definition.
5. n. The consequent of a hypothetical proposition.
6. n. In musical rhythmics, a heavy accent, such as in beating time is marked by a down-beat. See rhythm.
7. n. In prosody: Originally, and in more correct recent usage, that part of a foot which receives the ictus, or metrical stress.
8. n. In prevalent modern usage, the metrically unaccented part of a foot. See arsis, 1.
9. n. In ancient rhetoric, a general question, not limited to special persons and circumstances: opposed to a hypothesis, or question which is so limited.
10. n. In rhetoric, the part of a sentence preceding and correlated to the antithesis.
11. n. Synonyms Topic, Point, etc. See subject.

Wiktionary

1. n. A statement supported by arguments.
2. n. A written essay, especially one submitted for a university degree.
3. n. logic An affirmation, or distinction from a supposition or hypothesis.
4. n. music The accented part of the measure, expressed by the downward beat; the opposite of arsis.
5. n. poetry The depression of the voice in pronouncing the syllables of a word.
6. n. poetry The part of the metrical foot upon which such a depression falls.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A position or proposition which a person advances and offers to maintain, or which is actually maintained by argument.
2. n. Hence, an essay or dissertation written upon specific or definite theme; especially, an essay presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.
3. n. (Logic) An affirmation, or distinction from a supposition or hypothesis.
4. n. (Mus.) The accented part of the measure, expressed by the downward beat; -- the opposite of arsis.
5. n. The depression of the voice in pronouncing the syllables of a word.
6. n. The part of the foot upon which such a depression falls.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a treatise advancing a new point of view resulting from research; usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree
2. n. an unproved statement put forward as a premise in an argument