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Prose vs Essay - What's the difference?

prose | essay |

As nouns the difference between prose and essay

is that prose is language, particularly written language, not intended as poetry while essay is a written composition of moderate length exploring a particular issue or subject.

As verbs the difference between prose and essay

is that prose is to write or repeat in a dull, tedious, or prosy way while essay is to try.

prose

English

(wikipedia prose)

Noun

(en-noun)
  • Language, particularly written language, not intended as poetry.
  • Though known mostly for her prose , she also produced a small body of excellent poems.
  • * Milton
  • things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme
  • Language which evinces little imagination or animation; dull and commonplace discourse.
  • (Roman Catholicism) A hymn with no regular meter, sometimes introduced into the Mass.
  • Antonyms

    * poetry, verse

    Derived terms

    * prose poem * purple prose

    Verb

  • to write or repeat in a dull, tedious, or prosy way
  • * 1819 , , Otho the Great , Act I, Scene II, verses 189-190
  • Pray, do not prose , good Ethelbert, but speak
    What is your purpose?

    References

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    essay

    English

    (wikipedia essay)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A written composition of moderate length exploring a particular issue or subject.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-01
  • , author=Katie L. Burke , title=Ecological Dependency , volume=101, issue=1, page=64 , magazine= citation , passage=In his first book since the 2008 essay collection Natural Acts: A Sidelong View of Science and Nature , David Quammen looks at the natural world from yet another angle: the search for the next human pandemic, what epidemiologists call “the next big one.”}}
  • (obsolete) A test, experiment; an assay.
  • An attempt.
  • * 1988 , James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom , Oxford 2003, p. 455:
  • This was Lee's first essay in the kind of offensive-defensive strategy that was to become his hallmark.

    Derived terms

    * photo essay

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (dated) To try.
  • * 1900 , , The House Behind the Cedars , Chapter II,
  • He retraced his steps to the front gate, which he essayed to open.
  • To move forth, as into battle.
  • Anagrams

    *