dissertation

noun

dis·​ser·​ta·​tion ˌdi-sər-ˈtā-shən 

: an extended usually written treatment of a subject

specifically : one submitted for a doctorate

wrote her dissertation on an obscure 16th-century poet

dissertational

ˌdi-sər-ˈtā-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Examples of dissertation in a Sentence

He wrote his dissertation on an obscure 16th-century poet.

Recent Examples on the Web

Others argue the artist’s work reaffirms structures of settler colonialism by omitting Indigenous perspectives of the land being used, as Alicia Harris discussed in a 2020 dissertation. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026

According to Cofnas, the excerpts were flagged by a plagiarism detection software, which found similarities with another scholar’s 2009 dissertation. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026

Parry, aged only 21, sketched out his theory in a master’s dissertation. — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026

Pulitzer-Prize finalist Daniel Mason molds his new novel around Miles Krzelewski, married to a Stanford academic superstar, twelve years tardy on his dissertation. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dissertation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

dissertation

noun

dis·​ser·​ta·​tion ˌdis-ər-ˈtā-shən 

: a long usually written treatment of a subject