What does essay mean?
An essay is a relatively short piece of prose that examines a single subject from the writer's own point of view, typically presenting ideas, arguments, or personal reflections in a structured form. Essays range from school assignments and exam responses to literary works of argument and reflection, such as those popularized by Michel de Montaigne in the sixteenth century. Common varieties include the personal, argumentative, descriptive, and analytical essay, and the word extends to visual forms like the photo essay. As a verb, to essay means to attempt or try — a usage now largely confined to formal or literary writing, as in 'she essayed a difficult role.' The word derives from the French essayer, 'to attempt,' which itself comes from a Latin root meaning to weigh out; this origin preserves the idea of the essay as a trial or experiment rather than a definitive statement. The related word 'assay,' meaning to test or analyze, shares the same ancestry.
A short piece of writing on a particular subject, expressing the writer's own ideas, arguments, or analysis.
"She wrote a compelling essay on the ethics of artificial intelligence."
Common in educational and literary contexts; pluralized normally as 'essays'.
To attempt or try to do something.
"He essayed a reply, but the words failed him."
Formal or literary register; rare in everyday conversation.
Standard regular plural; used when referring to multiple written works, e.g. a collection of essays.
"The volume collects her finest essays from three decades of journalism."
The word 'essay' literally means 'a try' — because when Montaigne invented the form, he saw each piece as an attempt at understanding, not a finished answer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of essay
The word essay entered English in the late sixteenth century, borrowed directly from French essayer ('to try, to attempt'), which derives from Late Latin exagium, meaning 'a weighing' or 'balance,' formed from Latin ex- and agere ('to drive, weigh'). The noun sense of a short written composition was established by Michel de Montaigne, whose Essais (1580) framed each piece as an attempt to explore a topic rather than a final verdict; Francis Bacon adopted the term for English shortly afterward. The English verb 'to assay,' meaning to test or analyze, descends from the same French source and preserves the original sense of trial or examination.
Related word forms
How essay is actually used
The noun is common in academic contexts and general writing. The verb 'to essay' is formal or literary in register, meaning to attempt or undertake something, and is rare in everyday speech.
Easily confused with essay
An assay is a test or analysis, especially of a substance's composition or purity, while an essay is a piece of writing — though both come from the same root.
To espy means to catch sight of something distant or hidden, whereas an essay is a written work.