Meaning

noun the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch)

noun (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense

noun special emphasis attached to something

originEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ-der. Proto-Indo-European *streyg-der. Latin stringō Latin distringōder. Old French destrecierbor. Middle English destresse English stress From a shortening of Middle English destresse, borrowed from Old French destrecier, from Latin distringō (“to stretch out”). This…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0