Special importance, value, or attention given to something. In speaking or writing, it can mean extra force or stress put on a word or idea.
From Latin 'emphasis,' from Greek 'émphasis' meaning 'appearance, significance,' from 'emphainein' (to show, indicate), from 'en' (in) + 'phainein' (to show). Originally, it was about making something show itself clearly. The sense of stressing words in speech developed naturally from that.
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