noun

a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose

and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.
anything resembling such a composition:a picture essay.
an effort to perform or accomplish something; attempt.
Philately. a design for a proposed stamp differing in any way from the design
of the stamp as issued.
SEE MORE

verb (used with object)

to try; attempt.
to put to the test; make trial of.
QUIZZES

CAN YOU GUESS THESE WORDS FROM AROUND

THE US?
American English is not always as it appears to be ... get to know regional words in this
quiz!
QUESTION 1 OF 10

A bet is synonymous with a wager, but what does it mean in New York?

Often it means something is impossible.

It’s another way to agree with someone.

It serves as an apology.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT
ORIGIN OF ESSAY

1475–85; <Middle French essayer, cognate with Anglo-French assayer to assay <Late

Latin exagium a weighing, equivalent to *exag(ere), for Latin exigere to examine, test, literally,
to drive out (see exact) + -ium-ium
OTHER WORDS FROM ESSAY
es·say·er, nounpre·es·say, verb (used without object)un·es·sayed, adjectivewell-es·sayed, adjective
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ESSAY
assay, essay
WORDS NEARBY ESSAY

ESRC, ESRO, esrog, ess, Essaouira, essay, essayist, essayistic, essay
question, esse, Essen

DICTIONARY.COM UNABRIDGED BASED ON THE RANDOM HOUSE UNABRIDGED DICTIONARY, © RANDOM HOUSE, INC. 2020