Emphasises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Puts special importance or priority on a particular word or idea when communicating
2. Highlights a specific part or concept to make it stand out in speech or text
3. Stresses or calls attention to a detail to show its significance in expression

Etymology: "Emphasises" is the British spelling of the third-person singular form of "emphasise", a verb built from the noun "emphasis" plus the suffix "-ise". The noun "emphasis" came first, borrowed from Greek and used in rhetoric to describe stress placed on certain words in speech. The verb took shape by adding "-ise", a suffix that traces back through Ancient Greek "-ízein" and Late Latin "-izare" before passing into Middle French and then Middle English, where it became the usual way to turn a noun into a verb meaning "to make into" or "to treat in a certain way." The suffix is a useful example of how English verbs are built. "Emphasise" follows a common pattern seen in words like "realise", "criticise", and "apologise", where the suffix carries the sense of making or doing something. "Emphasises" simply adds the "-s" ending that marks the third-person singular present tense, as in "she emphasises" or "it emphasises."

Synonyms: stresses, highlights, underscores, accentuates, reinforces

Antonyms: downplays, diminishes, disregards, neglects, overlooks