Written composition (8)
'written composition' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for essay that I've seen before include "Try; dissertation" , "Attempt - piece of writing" , "Short literary piece: attempt" , "Analytic or interpretive literary composition (5_" , "Make an effort to write one" .)
'written composition' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for treatise that I've seen before include "Long, detailed essay" , "Learned work on particular subject" , "Formal piece of writing on a particular subject" , "theory" , "Learned paper" .)