underscore

C2+ Topic:Communication

US /ˌʌndɚˈskɔːr/ UK /ˌʌndəˈskɔː/ See IPA manual

verb noun

Meanings

1

verb
to emphasize; to draw a line beneath text

The latest figures underscore the urgency of reform.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to emphasize; to draw a... emphasize stress highlight accentuate underline

Opposites

downplayunderstate minimize

Word family

Derived forms underscoredunderscoring

Related forms score underline

Etymology

From under- ('beneath') + score ('a line, mark'), from Old Norse skor ('notch, tally'), from Proto-Germanic *skurō, related to shear. The figurative sense 'to emphasize' arises from drawing a line under text for stress.

under Old English skor Old Norse *skurō Proto-Germanic

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Topics

Communication

# underscore

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** ˌʌndɚˈskɔːr
**IPA (UK):** ˌʌndəˈskɔː

## Meanings
1. to emphasize; to draw a line beneath text

## Examples
- The latest figures underscore the urgency of reform.

## Synonyms
- emphasize
- stress
- highlight
- accentuate
- underline

## Antonyms
- downplay
- understate
- minimize

## Derived Forms
- underscored
- underscoring

## Related Forms
- score
- underline

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: under
- Root: skor
- Root: *skurō

## Etymology
From under- ('beneath') + score ('a line, mark'), from Old Norse skor ('notch, tally'), from Proto-Germanic *skurō, related to shear. The figurative sense 'to emphasize' arises from drawing a line under text for stress.

## AI Etymology
Underscore comes from under- ('beneath') + score ('a line, mark'), from Old Norse skor ('notch, tally'), from Proto-Germanic *skurō, related to shear. The figurative sense 'to emphasize' arises from drawing a line under text for stress. The historical trail runs through Old English under, Old Norse skor and Proto-Germanic *skurō. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. The later sense follows a semantic development already present in the word's history. In modern use it means to emphasize; to draw a line beneath text. Derived formations include underscored, underscoring; related forms include score, underline.

## Topics
- Communication

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underscore

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