treatise
gb/tɹˈitiz/ us/tɹˈitiz/
C1
English
~ 27200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
entity
1
formal written work on a subject
A long, serious book or written work that explains one subject in a very careful and detailed way.
Usage pattern:
a treatise on [subject]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "treatise" with "treaty" (an agreement between countries) or with "treat" (a verb or a nice thing, like a piece of candy). Another mistake is using "treatise" for any simple article or short essay; in modern use, a treatise is usually long, formal, and detailed.
Synonyms
monograph (A technical term, mainly in academic contexts, for a detailed written study on a single subject.)
|
discourse (Can refer to a serious written or spoken discussion; slightly broader and sometimes more abstract than a treatise.)
|
study (Less formal-sounding; can be shorter and not necessarily as systematically organized as a treatise.)
|
essay (Usually shorter and often less exhaustive or less strictly structured than a treatise.)
Antonyms
summary (Opposite in that a summary gives only the main points briefly, while a treatise explains a subject at great length and in detail.)
Collocations
philosophical treatise
|scientific treatise
|political treatise
|classic treatise
|scholarly treatise
|a treatise on [subject]
Themes
academia
|literature
|education
|communication
Examples
- His most famous work is a three-volume treatise on constitutional law.
- The philosopher spent ten years writing a treatise on ethics and moral responsibility.
- In her treatise on climate policy, she combines scientific data with economic analysis.
- The medieval treatise on medicine reveals how doctors understood the human body at that time.
- This dense treatise on linguistics is required reading for graduate students in the program.
Learner examples
- He wrote a long treatise on modern art.
- The professor asked us to read a short treatise on social media and society.
- This treatise on history is very detailed and hard to read.
- She is working on a treatise on human rights.
- I do not want a quick article; I want a full treatise on the topic.
Grammar
Expressions
treatise on
1/tɹˈitiz ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
formal
formal written work about a subject
Used before the topic to say that a long, serious piece of writing is about that topic.
Examples
- She is writing a treatise on international criminal law.
- The library owns a rare treatise on ancient navigation methods.
- His doctoral project became a 600-page treatise on economic inequality.