Apostrophe

ə-ˈpäs-trə-fē

Meaning & Definition

noun

A punctuation mark (') used to indicate possession or the omission of letters or numbers.

In the word 'dog's', the apostrophe shows that the dog owns the ball.

A rhetorical device in which a speaker addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing.

In his speech, the politician used an apostrophe to address the spirit of the nation.

From Latin 'apostrophus', from Greek 'apostrophos', meaning 'turning away'.

apostrophe s

Refers to the use of an apostrophe followed by an 's' to indicate possession, as in 'the dog's leash'.

omission

Refers to the use of an apostrophe to indicate letters omitted in a contraction.

contraction

A shortened form of a word or group of words, often using an apostrophe.

possessive

Pertaining to ownership, often indicated with an apostrophe.

Shorthand or slang term for a contraction.

Instead of saying 'it is', you can say 'it's'.