a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, esp. one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections: He vigorously defended his thesis on the causes of war.
2.
a subject for a composition or essay.
3.
a dissertation on a particular subject in which one has done original research, as one presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.
4.
Music. the downward stroke in conducting; downbeat. Compare arsis(def. 1).
5.
Prosody.
a.
a part of a metrical foot that does not bear the ictus or stress.
b.
(less commonly) the part of a metrical foot that bears the ictus. Compare arsis(def. 2).
an interpretive method, originally used to relate specific entities or events to the absolute idea, in which some assertible proposition (thesis) is necessarily opposed by an equally assertible and apparently contradictory proposition (antithesis), the mutual contradiction being reconciled on a higher level of truth by a third proposition (synthesis).
A dissertation advancing an original point of view as a result of research, especially as a requirement for an academic degree.
A hypothetical proposition, especially one put forth without proof.
The first stage of the Hegelian dialectic process.
The long or accented part of a metrical foot, especially in quantitative verse.
The unaccented or short part of a metrical foot, especially in accentual verse.
Music The accented section of a measure.
[Latin, from Greek, from tithenai, to put; see dhē- in Indo-European roots. Senses 5 and 6, Middle English, from Late Latin, lowering of the voice, from Greek, downbeat, from tithenai.]
[thee-sis] 
