disquisition

noun

dis·​qui·​si·​tion ˌdi-skwə-ˈzi-shən 

: a formal inquiry into or discussion of a subject : discourse

Synonyms

• delving
• examen
• examination
• exploration
• inquest
• inquiry
• inquisition
• investigation
• probation
• probe
• probing
• research
• study

Examples of disquisition in a Sentence

a lengthy disquisition on foreign policy

Adam Smith's celebrated disquisition on the factors contributing to the wealth of nations.

Recent Examples on the Web

Anyone who knew Heff, even a little, had heard his manic, often brilliant disquisitions on literature, film and hip-hop and had listened to him rhapsodize about fast cars, James Dean, jazz and the horror novels of Clive Barker. —Mark Oppenheimer, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2024

During a Tuesday pop-in at a Democratic campaign office in New Hampshire, Biden embarked on one of his customary rambling disquisitions. —Noah Rothman, National Review, 23 Oct. 2024

But, like most legal work, his cases typically turned not on disquisitions about the vision of the Founders but on narrow, technical details. —David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024

And in the same way that ageism against women was really a disquisition on femininity, the broad obsession with President Biden’s age speaks to our vision of masculinity. —Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin disquisition-, disquisitio, from disquirere to investigate, from dis- + quaerere to seek

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined above