Word of the Day Archive
Monday November 22, 2004
disquisition \dis-kwuh-ZISH-uhn\ , noun:
A formal discourse on a subject.
Hence, although the publisher calls Mr. Roth's work "An Essay on Evil in the Modern World," it will be found to differ materially in approach and manner of treatment from the usual disquisition on an ancient topic.
-- Percy Hutchison, "That Old Arch-Enemy of Man the Antichrist", New York Times, May 12, 1935
Gore was partial to eye-glazing disquisitions on reciprocal trade.
-- Bill Turque, Inventing Al Gore
The treatises and pamphlets of the late eighteenth century about the reform of commerce were considered, very soon, to be disquisitions of only limited and technical interest.
-- Emma Rothschild, Economic Sentiments
. . .a rambling disquisition, with copious historical discussion and many anecdotes.
-- James McCourt, Delancey's Way
Disquisition comes from Latin disquisitio, from disquirere, "to inquire into, to investigate," from dis- + quaerere "to seek." It is related to inquire ("to seek into") and exquisite, which describes something that is "sought out" (ex-, "out") because of beauty, delicacy, or perfection.
Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for disquisition
