Entry Word: essay

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 a short piece of writing typically expressing a point of view <school essays on what it means to be a patriot>

Synonyms article, composition, paper, theme

Related Words column, commentary, editorial, feature, report, review, write-up; dissertation, thesis; tract, treatise; discourse, discussion, exposition, study

2 an effort to do or accomplish something <my first essay at baking a cake did not go well> — see attempt