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apology

n.
US //əˈpɑɫəˌdʒi// UK //ɐpˈɒlədʒi// apol·o·gy
  1. 1 saying sorry (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a statement that you are sorry for hurting someone or making a mistake.

    an expression of remorse or regret for a perceived fault, injury, or insult.

    Example

    He sent a sincere apology to his colleague after missing the deadline.

    Example

    The CEO issued a public apology to the shareholders, acknowledging that the company's recent communication had been misleading.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the verbs 'offer', 'make', 'issue', or 'accept'.
    Pitfall
    I made an apology for him.
    I offered an apology to him.

    You offer or make an apology 'to' a person, not 'for' them, unless you are apologizing on their behalf.

  2. 2 formal defence (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Academic Religion

    a formal written or spoken defence of a belief or an idea.

    a formal justification or systematic defence of a religious doctrine, political theory, or philosophical position.

    Example

    The philosopher wrote a famous apology for his controversial views on society.

    Example

    The text serves as a sophisticated apology for the movement's core tenets, addressing critics with rigorous logical arguments.

    Usage

    Often appears in the titles of historical or theological works.
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  1. 3 poor substitute (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary British English

    something that is a very poor or low-quality example of what it should be.

    a makeshift or inferior substitute for something; a poor representation of a particular category.

    Example

    The thin soup was a poor apology for a proper meal.

    Example

    The drafty wooden shack was a miserable apology for a house, offering little protection against the winter gales.

    Teacher's tip

    Usually used in the phrase 'a poor apology for' or 'a miserable apology for' to show strong disappointment.
Origin

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.

Word family

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