accentuate
/əkˈsɛn.t͡ʃu.eɪt/ verb
Forms accentuates accentuating accentuated
- verb (transitive) To pronounce with an accent or vocal stress.
- verb (transitive) To bring out distinctly; to make more noticeable or prominent; to emphasize.
- verb (transitive) To mark with a written accent.
Synonyms
Etymology
First attested in 1731; borrowed from Medieval Latin accentuātus, perfect passive participle of accentuō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from Latin accentus. accent + -u- + -ate.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To pronounce with an accent or with accents.
- verb To bring out distinctly; to make prominent; to emphasize.
Etymology [LL. accentuatus, p. p. of accentuare, fr. L. accentus: cf. F. accentuer.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “accentuate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details