italicize
UK[ɪˈtælɪsaɪz]US[ɪˈtæləˌsaɪz]
v
To print or write something in italic type.
v
To emphasize a word, phrase, or idea, especially in writing or speech.
Morpheme Breakdown
italic
ize
italic
relating to Italy/italic type
ize
verb-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'italicize' is a modern English formation that directly combines 'italic' with the productive suffix '-ize'. Its core logic stems from the history of printing: in the early 16th century, a sloping typeface was created by Italian printer Aldus Manutius, which became known as 'italic' after its country of origin. The suffix '-ize', with its meaning "to render into," was then attached to create a verb meaning "to render into italic type." Over time, the meaning extended metaphorically beyond typography to signify the act of emphasizing something, much like italics visually set text apart on a page. Thus, the word's journey is from a geographical label, to a specific typographic style, to a general action of making something distinct.
Analysis
Structure: italic (relating to Italy/italic type) + ize (verb-forming suffix)
- italic: From Latin Italicus (of Italy), via the name of the Italian peninsula. In this word, it refers specifically to the italic printing type style invented in Italy.
- ize: A verb-forming suffix of Greek origin (via Latin -izare), meaning "to make, to become, to practice, or to render into the form of."
Examples
The editor asked me to italicize the book titles in the manuscript.
She tends to italicize her key points when speaking for dramatic effect.
In botanical names, the genus is often capitalized while the species is italicized.