4 definitions found for treatise.

treatise early 14c., from Anglo-Fr. tretiz, contracted from *treteiz, from Gallo-Romance *tractaticius, from L. tractare "to deal with" (see treat).

treatise
n. a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject.
Etymology: ME f. AF tretis f. OF traitier TREAT

Treatise Trea"tise, n. [OE. tretis, OF. treitis, traitis, well made. See Treat.] 1. A written composition on a particular subject, in which its principles are discussed or explained; a tract. --Chaucer. He published a treatise in which he maintained that a marriage between a member of the Church of England and a dissenter was a nullity. --Macaulay. Note: A treatise implies more form and method than an essay, but may fall short of the fullness and completeness of a systematic exposition. 2. Story; discourse. [R.] --Shak.

treatise n. Disquisition, dissertation, tractate, formal essay, paper tract.