apostrophes
|a-pos-tro-phe|
🇺🇸
/əˈpɑːstrəfi/
🇬🇧
/əˈpɒstrəfi/
(apostrophe)
mark of omission / direct address
Etymology
'apostrophe' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'apostrophē', where 'apo-' meant 'away' and 'strephein' meant 'to turn'.
'apostrophe' changed from the Greek word 'apostrophē' via Late Latin 'apostrophus' and Old French 'apostrophe' into Middle English 'apostrophe'.
Initially, it meant 'a turning away' or 'a turning aside', but over time it evolved into its current meanings of 'a punctuation mark indicating omission or possession' and 'a rhetorical address'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a punctuation mark (') used to indicate the omission of letters (contractions), to show possession (John's book), and in some style conventions to form plurals of letters or symbols.
Many students misuse apostrophes when forming plural nouns.
Noun 2
a rhetorical device in which the speaker directly addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or an inanimate object (e.g., addressing Death or Liberty).
In the poem, apostrophes are used to address Death and Nature.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/16 23:16