apostrophize

English

Alternative forms

• apostrophise

Etymology

apostrophe +‎ -ize

Verb

1. (transitive) To address using the form of rhetoric called the apostrophe.
   • 1823 December 23 (indicated as 1824), [Walter Scott], “The Guest”, in St Ronan’s Well. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 33:

     [S]he resumed her former occupation, and continued to soliloquize and apostrophize her absent hand-maidens, without even appearing sensible of his presence.

   • 1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter XIX, in Great Expectations […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC, page 329:

     “Ah! poultry, poultry! You little thought,” said Mr. Pumblechook, apostrophising the fowl in the dish, “when you was a young fledgling, what was in store for you. [...]”

2. To add one or more apostrophe characters to text to indicate missing letters.

Translations

to use the apostrophe in writing or speech

• Catalan: apostrofar (ca)
• French: apostropher (fr)
• Interlingue:
• Irish: aitheasc
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: apostrofare (it)
• Portuguese: apostrofar (pt)
• Venetian: apostrofar

to add one or more apostrophes to text to indicate missing letters

• Catalan: apostrofar (ca)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Interlingue:

See also

• apostrophe