Definition: An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used in English for two main purposes: to indicate the possession or ownership (e.g., “Sarah’s book”) and to show the omission of letters or numbers (e.g., “don’t” for “do not” or “class of ’99” for “class of 1999”). It is a versatile mark that helps clarify meaning in written language.
Etymology and Origin: The term ‘apostrophe’ originates from the Greek word ‘apostrophos’, meaning ‘turning away’ or ‘elision’. This term was used in ancient Greek rhetoric to describe a rhetorical device where the speaker breaks off from addressing one party and instead addresses a third party, often an inanimate object or absent person. The punctuation mark’s name was adopted because it indicates the omission or ‘turning away’ of letters in a contraction.
