apostrophe etymology

Etymology

The word "apostrophe" is derived from the Greek word "apostrophos," which means "to turn away."

Meaning

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark (') that has two primary functions:

• Possessive form: To indicate the possessive form of nouns, especially singular nouns and plural nouns that do not end in "-s."
• Contraction: To denote the omission of letters in a word, usually to indicate informal or spoken language.

Origin

The use of an apostrophe to denote the possessive form of nouns originated in the 14th century. It was initially used as a diacritical mark placed above the final letter of a word to indicate that the final vowel had been dropped. Gradually, the mark was lowered and eventually evolved into the modern apostrophe.

The use of the apostrophe to denote contractions began in the 16th century. It was used to indicate the omission of letters in words to make spoken language more informal and concise.

Examples

Possessive form:

• The dog's tail (tail belonging to the dog)
• The children's toys (toys belonging to the children)

Contraction:

• I'm (I am)
• Don't (do not)
• Can't (cannot)

apostrophe relate terms

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• antistrophe

  Etymology Greek ἀντίστροφος antistrophos meaning turning against or

• apostrophe

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• apostrophe

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• boustrophedon

  Etymology From Ancient Greek βουστροφηδόν boustrophēdón literally ox

• catastrophe

  Etymology The word catastrophe comes from the Ancient Greek καταστροφή ka

• epistrophe

  Etymology Epistrophe originates from the Greek word epistrophe which means turning t

• strabismus

  Etymology Latin strabismus from Greek στράβισμος strabismos meaning squ

• strap

  Etymology The word strap comes from the Middle English word strappe which is derive

• strep

  Etymology The word strep is derived from the Latin word strepto which means to twi

• strepto

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• streptococcus

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• streptomycin

  Etymology Streptomycin is a portmanteau of Streptomyces the genus of the bacterium that

• strobe

  Etymology The word strobe comes from the Greek word strobos which means whirlwind

• strobic

  Etymology Derived from the Greek word strobos meaning a whirling or something twi

• stroboscope

  Etymology Greek strobos whirling skopein to see Meaning and Origin A strobo

• strop

  Etymology Old English stropp a strip of leather Middle English strope a strap o

• strophe

• strophic

  Etymology Strophic is derived from the Greek word strophos which means a turn or a

• will

  Etymology Will derives from the Old English word wille which meant desire or choice

• punctuation

  Etymology The word punctuation originates from the Latin verb pungere which means t

• neat

  Etymology The word neat has an interesting etymology with multiple meanings and origin

• impression

  Etymology The word impression comes from the Latin word impressio which means a mar

• penny

  Etymology The word penny originates from the Old English word penig which is deriv

• Zeus

  Etymology Derived from the Proto Indo European root Dyeus meaning sky father or sh

• trousers

  Etymology Trousers is derived from the French word trousse meaning bundle or packa

• pilgrim

  Etymology The word pilgrim comes from the Old French word pelegrin which itself ori