Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

apology

/əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.05 in modern English

Syllables: apol-o-gy
IPA: /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/

13

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

4

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An expression of remorse or regret for having said or done something that harmed another: an instance of apologizing (saying that one is sorry).

noun

A formal justification, defence.

noun

Anything provided as a substitute; a makeshift.

Example Sentences

"What he said really hurt my feelings, but his apology sounded so sincere that I couldn't help but forgive him."
"The CEO made a public apology for the scandal, and promised full cooperation with the authorities."
"the Apology of Socrates"
"a poor apology for a hotel room"
"[He] goes to work devising apologies for window curtains."
"The response to firing is remarkable, and though the 280 lb. pressure seems more in the nature of a reserve for emergencies than a continuous working figure, even with the present-day apology for coal it seldom fell below 250 lb., and could always be brought up to blowing-off point with little difficulty. To this liveliness of steaming the thermic syphons are doubtless the chief contributory."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Hellenic *apó Ancient Greek ᾰ̓πό (ăpó) Ancient Greek ᾰ̓πο- (ăpo-) Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *lóǵos Proto-Hellenic *lógos Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek ἀπολογία (apología)bor. Ecclesiastical Latin apologialbor. French apologiebor. English apology From French apologie, from Late Latin apologia, from Ancient Greek ἀπολογία (apología, “a speech in defence”), from ἀπολογοῦμαι (apologoûmai, “I speak in my defense”), from ἀπόλογος (apólogos, “an account, story”), from ἀπό (apó, “from, off”) (see apo-) + λόγος (lógos, “speech”). Doublet of apologia. By surface analysis, apo- + -logy.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: apologie, apologia, ἀπολογία

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/
British English: /əˈpɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/

Inflected Forms

apologies (plural) apologie (alternative)

Derived Forms

antapology apologee apologian apologise apologism apologist apologize apologizer fauxpology ifpology nonapology nonpology

Phrases

my apology non-apology non-apology apology nonapology apology pre-apology send one's apologies

Frequently Paired Words

apologetic apologetics apologia remorse

Synonyms

apologia excuse

Rhymes With

mythology nanotechnology epistemology phonology electrobiology technology appropriate technology psychology biology ideology theology geology

Questions

How do you pronounce apology?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/.
What does apology mean?: An expression of remorse or regret for having said or done something that harmed another: an instance of apologizing (saying that one is sorry).
Where does apology come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce apology

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “apology”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “apology”.
Repeat and practice — Say “apology” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.