For your undergraduate degree you may have to write a variety of different kinds of essays. One of these is a definition essay, which predictably is a full essay on the definition of a word. In contrast to what you would find in a dictionary, the term you have chosen for your work will have to be defined in detail, providing ample examples as well as a personalised perspective. If you are not quite sure where to begin, follow the advice below to get you started. If you need help with this, we highly recommend you use this service.

Choosing a title - While certain things will have a specific meaning (a chair, a flower, a cup), others may be more abstract (such as love or jealousy) - and this is the type of term you need to discuss in order to make your essay interesting. While a dictionary would give you a short explanation, it could not possible portray all the contexts in which they could be used in a short couple of sentences. Search for a term that is quite complex, and one which you find interesting as this will allow you to add some character. Try to make it multidimensional. A good idea would be to study the history of the word and whether it has an important past.

Examples This list is not exhaustive but designed to give you a little bit of inspiration. Looking at the terms below you will see that different people will interpret them entirely differently and have unique personal experiences associated. Like on this website: rhetorical analysis essay example.

1. Love

2. Jealousy

3. Success

4. Honesty

5. Respect

Introduction - This will present your word to the reader along with a brief literal definition to begin with. In contract to another essay you will also need to include another definition called the thesis definition. The thesis definition is essentially a full overview of the explanation of the word including its multiple facets and your personal experiences. Try not to give everything away at this point as this is necessary for the main body.

Main Body This will need to include a different paragraph for each of your main explanations. Try to include detail here for each of your arguments and back them up with examples to make the reader understand. Try not to waffle (having a small plan for each of these paragraphs will help), but condensing your information into powerful sentences is the best way to give the reader food for thought. Try to think outside the box and give the reader an entirely new perspective ion your chosen word.

Conclusion Here you will re-iterate your definitions from the introduction along with evidence you have provided in the main body to sum up your argument. Finally include your own personal affiliation with the word and its interpretation..

Finally don’t forget to double check your work for errors. Using the tips above you have everything you need to begin your definition essay. Choose a term you are happy to work with and get started!