APOSTROPHE Meaning and
Definition
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An Apostrophe is a punctuation mark that is used to indicate possession or to show when a letter or letters have been omitted from a word. Typically, an apostrophe is placed before or after the letter "s" to indicate ownership or possession, as in "John's car" or "the dog's leash." It distinguishes between a singular and plural form, indicating that something belongs to or is associated with a specific person, animal, or object.
Furthermore, an apostrophe can also be used in contractions to represent missing letters or numbers, such as "can't" (short for "cannot") or "I'm" (short for "I am"). It serves as a form of abbreviation, merging multiple words into one and streamlining the written language.
In addition to ownership and contractions, the apostrophe allows for the omission of letters or numbers when presenting dates, as seen in "the '90s" (short for "the 1990s") or "I went to university in the '80s" (short for "the 1980s"). This usage not only saves space but also conveys a sense of informality or colloquialism.
Overall, the apostrophe serves an essential role in written communication by indicating possession, forming contractions, and enabling the omission of letters or numbers. Its proper usage helps to convey meaning accurately and effectively, ensuring clear and concise communication.
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A figure of speech; a digressive address; a mark put in a word to show the omission of a letter or letters, or merely as the sign of the possessive case in nouns.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for APOSTROPHE *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for APOSTROPHE
Etymology of APOSTROPHE
The word "apostrophe" comes from the Greek word "apostrophḗ", which means "turning away" or "a mark of elision". In Greek, "apostrophḗ" is derived from the verbs "apostrephein" (to turn away) and "apostrephesthai" (to turn aside). This refers to the punctuation mark's function of indicating omission or possession in written language. The word entered the English language via Latin and French, eventually becoming "apostrophe" as we know it today.
Similar spelling words for APOSTROPHE
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