dissertation

noun

dis·​ser·​ta·​tion ˌdi-sər-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce dissertation (audio)
: an extended usually written treatment of a subject
specifically : one submitted for a doctorate
wrote her dissertation on an obscure 16th-century poet
dissertational adjective

Examples of dissertation in a Sentence

He wrote his dissertation on an obscure 16th-century poet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The boy’s mother wants to hide the child from the public and the wolfish press; meanwhile, her husband, a professor of religious studies, accepts the public’s curiosity, and even steers his floundering Ph.D. advisee toward writing a dissertation on the meaning of his son’s radiance. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 No responsible adviser in a doctoral program in English now would recommend a single-author dissertation if a tenure-track job in the profession is the goal—an ever more daunting one, given the implosion of literature departments, and of so many disciplines across the humanities. Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025 No one needs to read the six hundred thousandth dissertation on Augustine or Spinoza or John Calvin. Literary Hub, 13 June 2025 Related article ‘Thirst for revenge’ Eisner tracked down the archbishop’s letter in a 2013 dissertation by medieval historian and author Helen Matthews. Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dissertation

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissertation was in 1651

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dissertation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissertation. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

dissertation

noun
dis·​ser·​ta·​tion ˌdis-ər-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce dissertation (audio)
: a long usually written treatment of a subject

More from Merriam-Webster on dissertation

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