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Webster 1913 Edition

Apostrophe

A-pos′tro-phe

,
Noun.
[(1) L., fr. Gr. [GREEK] a turning away, fr. [GREEK] to turn away; [GREEK] from + [GREEK] to turn. (2) F., fr. L.
apostrophus
apostrophe, the turning away or omitting of a letter, Gr. [GREEK].]
1.
(Rhet.)
A figure of speech by which the orator or writer suddenly breaks off from the previous method of his discourse, and addresses, in the second person, some person or thing, absent or present;
as, Milton’s
apostrophe
to Light at the beginning of the third book of “Paradise Lost
.”
2.
(Gram.)
The contraction of a word by the omission of a letter or letters, which omission is marked by the character ['] placed where the letter or letters would have been;
as,
call'd
for
called
.
3.
The mark ['] used to denote that a word is contracted (as in ne'er for never, can't for can not), and as a sign of the possessive, singular and plural; as, a boy's hat, boys' hats. In the latter use it originally marked the omission of the letter e.
The apostrophe is used to mark the plural of figures and letters; as, two 10's and three a's. It is also employed to mark the close of a quotation.

Webster 1828 Edition

Apostrophe

APOS'TROPHE

,

Definition 2024

Apostrophe

Apostrophe

See also: apostrophe and apostrophé

German

Noun

Apostrophe m

  1. plural of Apostroph

apostrophe

apostrophe

See also: Apostrophe and apostrophé

English

Alternative forms

Noun

apostrophe ‎(plural apostrophes)

  1. (orthography) The text character ’, which serves as a punctuation mark in various languages and as a diacritical mark in certain rare contexts.
Translations
Derived terms
Related terms

Punctuation

Usage notes

In English, the apostrophe is used to mark the possessive or to show the omission of letters or numbers.

See also

Etymology 2

From Latin apostrophe, from Ancient Greek ἀποστροφή ‎(apostrophḗ), from ἀποστρέφω ‎(apostréphō, “I turn away”), from ἀπό ‎(apó) + στρέφω ‎(stréphō, “I turn”).

Noun

apostrophe ‎(plural apostrophes)

  1. (rhetoric) A sudden exclamatory piece of dialogue addressed to someone or something, especially absent.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations

French

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Latin apostrophus, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστροφος ‎(apóstrophos, “accent of elision”), a noun use of an adjective from ἀποστρέφω ‎(apostréphō, “I turn away”).

Noun

apostrophe f ‎(plural apostrophes)

  1. (orthography) apostrophe

Etymology 2

From Latin apostrophe, from Ancient Greek ἀποστροφή ‎(apostrophḗ), from ἀποστρέφω ‎(apostréphō, “I turn away”), from ἀπό ‎(apó) + στρέφω ‎(stréphō, “I turn”).

Noun

apostrophe f ‎(plural apostrophes)

  1. (rhetoric) apostrophe
Related terms

Verb

apostrophe

  1. first-person singular present indicative of apostropher
  2. third-person singular present indicative of apostropher
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of apostropher
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of apostropher
  5. second-person singular imperative of apostropher

Etymology

From French apostrophe, or Latin apostrophus, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστροφος ‎(apóstrophos, “accent of elision”), a noun use of an adjective from ἀποστρέφω ‎(apostréphō, “I turn away”).

Pronunciation

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