Meaning of the word apostrophe in English
What does apostrophe mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.
apostrophe
US /əˈpɑː.strə.fi/
UK /əˈpɒs.trə.fi/
Noun
1.
a punctuation mark (') used to indicate possession or the omission of letters or numbers.
Example:
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The boy's hat was lost, so he used an apostrophe to show possession.
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The word 'don't' uses an apostrophe to show the omission of the letter 'o'.
2.
an address to an absent or imaginary person or to a personified abstraction, especially as a rhetorical device in literature.
Example:
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In his poem, he uses an apostrophe to directly address the moon.
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O, Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? is a famous example of an apostrophe.
Synonym: