emphasise
UK[ˈemfəsaɪz]US[ˈemfəsaɪz]
v
To give special importance or prominence to something in speaking or writing.
v
To make something more clearly defined or noticeable.
Morpheme Breakdown
em
phas
ise
em
in
phas
appearance
ise
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'emphasise' originates from the Greek 'emphasis', which meant a "significance" or "forceful presentation," derived from 'emphainein' ('to present, indicate'). This Greek verb was formed from 'en-' ("in") and 'phainein' ("to show"). The core concept is bringing a quality or idea "into view" or "into appearance" to make it more prominent. Entering English via Latin and French, the spelling and suffix were adapted, with '-ise' marking it as a verb meaning "to make apparent," thus evolving from the literal act of showing something to the modern abstract act of giving it special stress or importance.
Analysis
Structure: em (in) + phas (appearance) + ise (verb suffix)
em- (Latin, from Greek en-, a prefix meaning "in, into"); phas- (Greek, from phasis, meaning "appearance, statement"); -ise (Greek/Latin via French, a verb-forming suffix meaning "to make, to act").
Examples
The speaker paused to emphasise her key point.
The design uses bold colours to emphasise the central image.
He emphasised the need for careful planning before starting the project.