Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
apostrophe
punctuation mark
/əˈpɒstrəfi/
Definition
A punctuation mark used to indicate possession or the omission of letters or numbers.
Examples
- In the word “John’s book,” the apostrophe shows that the book belongs to John.
- In the contraction “don’t,” the apostrophe indicates that the letter ‘o’ has been omitted from “do not.”
- The year 1990 can be shortened to ’90 using an apostrophe.
Meaning
An apostrophe is a small mark that shows that letters have been left out or that something belongs to someone.
Synonyms
- contraction indicator
- possession marker
