give extra weight to (a communication)
"Her gesture emphasized her words"
To stress, give emphasis or extra weight to (something).
"The teacher emphasized the importance of punctuality by reviewing it at the start of every class."
In plain English: To emphasize something means to give it special attention so people notice it more than usual.
"The teacher emphasized that students must submit their homework by Friday."
Usage: Use emphasize when you want to indicate that something is being given special importance through tone, repetition, or placement. This verb often confuses learners who mistakenly use it as a noun; remember that the correct noun form is emphasis.
The word comes from Latin and originally traces back to Ancient Greek, where it carried the same core meaning of giving special importance or weight to something. It traveled directly into English through French usage without a significant shift in its fundamental sense.