/ ˈemfəsɪs; NAmE / noun ( pl. em·phases / -siːz; NAmE /) [ U , C ]
1.
emphasis (on / upon sth) special importance that is given to sth
SYN stress :
to put / lay / place emphasis on sth
There has been a shift of emphasis from manufacturing to service industries.
The emphasis is very much on learning the spoken language.
The course has a vocational emphasis.
We provide all types of information, with an emphasis on legal advice.
The examples we will look at have quite different emphases.
2.
the extra force given to a word or phrase when spoken, especially in order to show that it is important; a way of writing a word (for example drawing a line underneath it) to show that it is important
SYN stress :
'I can assure you,' she added with emphasis, 'the figures are correct.'
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek , originally appearance, show , later denoting a figure of speech in which more is implied than is said (the original sense in English), from emphainein exhibit, from em- in, within + phainein to show.