apostrophe

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However, for words ending in - y, an apostrophe is inserted so that the plural form looks like an English possessive: baby's, lolly's.

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Definitions (10)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun The superscript sign ( ' ) used to indicate the omission of a letter or letters from a word, the possessive case, or the plurals of numbers, letters, and abbreviations.
  2. noun The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction, especially as a digression in the course of a speech or composition.

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Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples

  • However, for words ending in - y, an apostrophe is inserted so that the plural form looks like an English possessive: baby's, lolly's. —  VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol VI No 3
  • Clearly, an apostrophe is not to be confused with an open single quotation mark. —  VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol II No 4
  • This apostrophe was addressed, like the rest of his remarks, to empty air: for Edward was not present, and the father was quite alone. —  Barnaby Rudge
 

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Words tagged apostrophe

J'Nathan · Romm's · Slow's · druggist's · reviv'd · discharg'd · bookbinder's

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Apostrophe has been looked up 1038 times, favorited 0 times, listed 55 times, and commented on 21 times.

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Etymologies (4)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. French, from Late Latin apostrophus, from Greek apostrophos, from apostrephein, to turn away : apo-, apo- + strephein, to turn; see streb(h)- in Indo-European roots.
  2. Late Latin apostrophē, from Greek, from apostrephein, to turn away; see apostrophe1.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Formerly also apostrophy = German apostrophe = French apostrophe = Spanish apostrofe = Portuguese apostrophe = Italian apostrofe, apostrofa, from Latin apostrophe, from Greek ἀποστροφή, a turning away, from ἀποστρέφειν, turn away, from ἀπό, away, + στρέφειν, turn. Cf. strophe.
  2. In form and pron. confused with apostrophe; properly *apostroph = German apostroph = Swedish Danish apostrof = French apostrophe = Spanish apóstrofo = Portuguese apostropho = Italian apostrofo, in English first in Late Latin form apostrophus, from Late Latin apostrophus, apostrophos, from Greek ἀπόστροφος, the apostrophe, properly adjective (sc. προσῳδία, accent), of turning away (elision), from ἀποστρέφειν, turn away: see apostrophe.
 

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/əˈpɑstrəfə/
by American Heritage

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