Word of the Day

: November 16, 2009

dissertate

verb DISS-er-tayt

What It Means

: to speak or write at length : dissert; also : to write a dissertation

dissertate in Context

Amy shared with her academic advisor her plans to dissertate on the subject of women’s roles in postcolonial India.

Did You Know?

English speakers created the word "dissert" in the mid-17th century, but a single word for the concept was apparently not enough because "dissertate" appeared in the language less than a hundred years later. Both words descend from the Latin noun "dissertus," which shares their meaning. ("Dissert" came directly from "dissertus," whereas "dissertate" came by way of "dissertatus," past participle of "dissertare," meaning "to discuss, argue, or debate.") "Dissertus" itself traces back to the verb "disserere," formed by combining the prefix "dis-" and "serere" ("to place, arrange, or join together"). Other descendants of "serere" in English include "assert," "insert," and even "series."