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emphasis

em·pha·sis [ émfəssiss ] (plural em·pha·ses [ émfə sz ])


noun 
Definition:
 
1. importance: special importance, significance, or stress
puts emphasis on exercise

2. forcefulness of expression: forcefulness of expression to indicate the importance of something
Your opening paragraph needs greater emphasis to grab the reader's attention.

3. extra spoken stress on important word: extra stress of voice put on a syllable, word, or phrase, usually to show its significance

[Late 16th century. Via Latin< Greek, "significance, appearance" < emphainein "to show, indicate" < phainein "to show"]
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