high·light  (h īl īt ′)
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n.1. An area or a spot in a drawing, painting, or photograph that is strongly illuminated. 2. An especially significant or interesting detail or event. 3. highlights Strands of hair that have been lightened, as by bleaching or coloring. tr.v. high·light·ed, high·light·ing, high·lights 1. To give a highlight to (the subject of a painting, for example). 2. a. To make prominent; emphasize: The article highlighted the painstaking work of the detectives. b. To be a highlight of: The duet highlighted the concert. 3. To mark (important passages of text) with a usually fluorescent marker as a means of memory retention or for later reference. 4. To lighten (strands of hair), as by bleaching or coloring.  (click for a larger image) highlights |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
Indo-European Roots
Semitic Roots
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.
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