apostrophe

/əˈpɑstrəfi/
noun
  1. A punctuation mark (') used to show that letters or numbers have been left out (as in don't for do not) or to show possession (as in John's book).
    • Don't forget to add an apostrophe in the word 'can't'.
    • My teacher corrected the missing apostrophe in 'the dogs bowl'.
    • The apostrophe in 'Sarah's car' shows that the car belongs to Sarah.
  2. A speech or passage in which a speaker directly addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing as if it were present and could respond.
    • The character's apostrophe to the moon revealed his loneliness.
    • In the poem, the poet uses an apostrophe to address death directly.
    • Shakespeare's 'O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?' is a famous apostrophe.
What does "apostrophe" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean