emphasis

UK: /ˈɛmfəsɪs/ US: /ˈɛmfəsɪs/ ,(em′fə sis)

Inflections of 'emphasis' (n): npl: emphases

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

em•pha•sis /ˈɛmfəsɪs/   n., pl. -ses 

/-ˌsiz/.  
1. special stress or importance attached to something:
   [uncountable] That university puts a lot of emphasis on its small classes.
2. something given special stress or importance:
   [countable] The main emphases of his speech were the budget and taxes.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

em•pha•sis  (em′fə sis), n., pl. -ses 

(-sēz′). 
1. special stress laid upon, or importance attached to, anything:
   The president's statement gave emphasis to the budgetary crisis.
2. something that is given great stress or importance:
   Morality was the emphasis of his speech.
3. Rhetoric
   • special and significant stress of voice laid on particular words or syllables.
   • stress laid on particular words, by means of position, repetition, or other indication.
4. intensity or force of expression, action, etc.:
   Determination lent emphasis to his proposals.
5. prominence, as of form or outline:
   The background detracts from the emphasis of the figure.
6. Electronics preemphasis.

• Greek émphasis indication, equivalent. to em- em-² + phásis phasis
• Latin
• 1565–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

emphasis / ˈɛmfəsɪs/ noun ( -ses / -siːz/)

1. special importance or significance
2. an object, idea, etc, that is given special importance or significance
3. stress made to fall on a particular syllable, word, or phrase in speaking
4. force or intensity of expression
5. sharpness or clarity of form or outline

Etymology: 16th Century: via Latin from Greek: meaning, (in rhetoric) significant stress; see emphatic