Emphasise and Emphasize are only two words that have the same meaning. Their spellings differ, but they are both correct and available in dictionaries.
The French influence was responsible for the different spellings which have been given to the terms.
Although these are highly similar words that are spelt differently, they have some differences between each other.
Key Takeaways
- Both words have the same meaning: to stress or give importance to something.
- “Emphasise” is the British English spelling, while “emphasize” is the American English spelling.
- Both forms are accepted in writing and speech, depending on the audience and regional preferences.
Emphasise vs Emphasize
The difference between Emphasise and Emphasize is that they are used in different regions. Emphasis is mostly used in the UK (United Kingdom), whereas emphasis is preferred in the US and Canada. However, both the US and UK tend to accept both terms at times, as they are both correct verb forms of the same noun, ‘Emphasis’.
The word ‘Emphasise’ is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’. It is used in the United Kingdom or British American countries.
The meaning of this term is to give importance to something while saying or writing it.
The term ‘Emphasise’ is a less used form of the verb and has been supposedly less used even in British countries since 1920.
Nevertheless, this is the correct form of the verb, and it is a recognized definition in the dictionary.
The word ‘Emphasize’ is a verb form of the noun, ‘Emphasis’. It is used in the United States and Canada. However, ‘Emphasize’ is a verb form that is widely used in every other part of the world.
It is commonly preferred and used over the verb form ‘Emphasise’. The meaning of this term is to give importance to something while saying or writing it.
It is preferred to use this verb form while writing. This verb form is also accepted outside the US and Canada and is also recognized as a correct word by the UK.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Emphasize | Emphasise |
|---|---|---|
| Used | Emphasize is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’ and is preferred in the United States and Canada. | Emphasise is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’ and is preferred in the United Kingdom or the British countries. |
| Suffix | Emphasize is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’ and is used with the suffix -ize. | Emphasise is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’ and is used with the suffix –ise. |
| Preference | The verb form ‘Emphasize’ is the more preferred form and is widely used all over the world. | The verb form ‘Emphasise’ is a less preferred form and is only used in the UK. However, the UK too uses it less since 1920. |
| Spelling | Emphasize uses ‘Z’ in place of ‘S’ as the spelling. | Emphasise uses ‘S’ as its spelling. |
| Origination | Emphasize is formed with the suffix –ize that was used for the Greek words. | Emphasise is formed with the suffix –ise that was used for the French words. |
What is Emphasise?
The word ‘Emphasise’ is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’. It is used in the United Kingdom or British American countries.
The meaning of this term is to give importance to something while saying or writing it. It is spelt with an ‘S’.
Emphasise is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’ and is used with the suffix –ise. The suffix –ise was used for French words.
The term ‘Emphasise’ is a less used form of the verb and has been supposedly less used even in British countries since 1920.
Nevertheless, this is the correct form of the verb, and it is a recognized definition in the dictionary.
What is Emphasize?
The word ‘Emphasize’ is a verb form of the noun, ‘Emphasis’. It is used in the United States and Canada. The meaning of this term is to give importance to something while saying or writing it.
It is spelt with a ‘Z’.
‘Emphasize’ is a verb form that is widely used in every other part of the world. It is commonly preferred and used over the verb form ‘Emphasise’.
Emphasize is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’ and is used with the suffix –ize. The suffix –ize was used for Greek words.
The spelling Emphasize is preferred to use this verb form while writing. This verb form is also accepted outside the US and Canada and is also recognized as a correct word by the UK.
Main Differences Between Emphasise and Emphasize
- Emphasize is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’ and is preferred in the United States and Canada, whereas Emphasise is a verb form of the noun ‘Emphasis’ and is used in the UK.
- Emphasize is formed with the suffix –ize, whereas Emphasise is formed with the suffix –ise.
- The verb form ‘Emphasize’ is preferred and is widely used all over the world. On the other hand, the verb form ‘Emphasise’ is less preferred and is only used in the UK.
- Emphasize uses ‘Z’ in place of ‘S’ as the spelling, whereas Emphasise uses ‘S’ as its spelling.
- Emphasize is formed with the suffix –ize, which is used for Greek words, whereas Emphasise is formed with the suffix –ise, which is used for French words.
- https://ntnuopen.ntnu.no/ntnu-xmlui/handle/11250/231877
- https://works.swarthmore.edu/fac-psychology/1029/
Last Updated : 30 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
It’s very interesting to learn the origin of these words and how they are used in different English-speaking countries.
Yes, it is indeed quite fascinating!
This article provides a clear and comprehensive explanation of the usage differences between ’emphasize’ and ’emphasise’.
The article effectively clarifies the differences and usage patterns of ’emphasize’ and ’emphasise’.
I appreciate the thorough comparison table that outlines the distinctions between ’emphasize’ and ’emphasise’.
Absolutely, I found it very informative.
Same here! It really helps to clarify any confusion.
The comparison table neatly summarizes the contrasts between ’emphasize’ and ’emphasise’.
Absolutely, it’s a helpful way to encapsulate the information.
This article does a great job of clearly explaining why ’emphasise’ is preferred in the UK and ’emphasize’ is preferred in the US and Canada.
Yes, it’s important to understand how language usage varies across regions.
I completely agree, it’s quite insightful.
The historical context provided for ’emphasize’ and ’emphasise’ adds depth to the understanding of these terms.
The distinction between ’emphasize’ and ’emphasise’ is subtle but significant, and this article captures it well.
Indeed, it really highlights the nuances of language use.
I couldn’t agree more. The article is admirably thorough.
I appreciate that the article covers both the grammatical aspects and regional preferences of ’emphasize’ and ’emphasise’.
Agreed, it’s an in-depth analysis.
Yes, it’s impressive how much information is presented.
I found the historical origins of ’emphasise’ and ’emphasize’ to be particularly intriguing.
Absolutely, language is a reflection of history and migration.
Yes, it’s fascinating to see how language evolves and is influenced by different cultures.