Emphasizers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Words or phrases used to highlight or stress particular points in communication
2. Elements added to speech or writing to intensify the meaning or importance of a statement
3. Tools that serve to reinforce or draw attention to specific ideas or emotional responses in discourse

Etymology: "Emphasizers" is the plural of "emphasizer," a noun formed by adding the agentive suffix "-er" to "emphasize." That suffix turns a verb into a noun for the thing or person doing the action, so an emphasizer is literally something that emphasizes. The base verb "emphasize" comes from "emphasis," which goes back to Greek "emphasis," meaning a display or indication, from "emphainein," to make apparent or show forth. The suffix does the heavy lifting here. English has long attached "-er" to verbs to name tools and agents, as in "cutter" or "reader," and "emphasizer" follows that same pattern. The plural simply adds "-s," so the word refers to any set of such devices, such as italics, bold type, capital letters, or intensifying words like "really" and "absolutely." The word is a plain, transparent formation rather than a borrowed term, and its meaning can be read straight from its parts.