essay

== English == === Etymology 1 === Since late 16th century, borrowed from Middle French essay, essai (“essay”), meaning coined by Montaigne at the same time, from the same words with the earlier meanings 'experiment; assay; attempt', from Old French essay, essai, assay, assai, from Latin exagium (“weight; weighing, testing on the balance”), from exigere + -ium. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): (Received Pronunciation, General American) /ˈɛs.eɪ/ (sense 1), /ɛˈseɪ/ (senses 2-4) Rhymes: -ɛseɪ Homophones: ese, SA (sense 1) ==== Noun ==== essay (plural essays) (publishing) A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject. (obsolete) A test, experiment; an assay. (now rare) An attempt. (philately, finance) A proposed design for a postage stamp or a banknote. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== assay essayist essayistic ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle French essayer, essaier, from Old French essaiier, essayer, essaier, assaiier, assayer, assaier, from essay, essai, assay, assai (“attempt; assay; experiment”) as above. ==== Pronunciation ==== (UK, US) IPA(key): /ɛˈseɪ/ ==== Verb ==== essay (third-person singular simple present essays, present participle essaying, simple past and past participle essayed) (dated, transitive) To attempt or try. (intransitive) To move forth, as into battle. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Anagrams === Sayes, Seays, Sesay, eyass == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from English essay (“essay”), from Middle French essai (“essay; attempt, assay”), from Old French essai, from Latin exagium (whence the neuter gender). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɛˈseː/, /ˈɛ.seː/ Hyphenation: es‧say Rhymes: -eː === Noun === essay n (plural essays, diminutive essaytje n) essay Synonyms: opstel, paper ==== Hypernyms ==== betoog ==== Derived terms ==== essayist ==== Descendants ==== → Indonesian: esai == Norwegian Bokmål == === Etymology === Borrowed from English essay, from Middle French essai. === Noun === essay n (definite singular essayet, indefinite plural essay or essayer, definite plural essaya or essayene) an essay, a written composition of moderate length exploring a particular subject ==== Derived terms ==== essaysamling === References === “essay” in The Bokmål Dictionary. == Norwegian Nynorsk == === Etymology === Borrowed from English essay, from Middle French essai. === Noun === essay n (definite singular essayet, indefinite plural essay, definite plural essaya) an essay, a written composition of moderate length exploring a particular subject ==== Derived terms ==== essaysamling === References === “essay” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.