apostrophe

What it means

1. communicationsThe text character ’, which serves as a punctuation mark in various languages and as a diacritical mark in certain rare contexts.

   Since its inception the apostrophe has been a controversial piece of punctuation.

   2021, Claire Cock-Starkey, Hyphens & Hashtags, Bodleian Library, page 30

In a sentence

Since its inception the apostrophe has been a controversial piece of punctuation.

2021, Claire Cock-Starkey, Hyphens & Hashtags, Bodleian Library, page 30

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekἀπόστροφος“accent of elision”
2. Latinapostrophus
3. Frenchapostrophe
4. Englishapostrophe

From French apostrophe, or Latin apostrophus, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστροφος (apóstrophos, “accent of elision”), a noun use of an adjective from ἀποστρέφω (apostréphō, “to turn away”), from ἀπό (apó, “away from”) + στρέφω (stréphō, “to turn”).