NYT Dictionary

APOLOGY

/əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/
Nouna-POL-o-gya-pol-o-gy · 4 syllablesGrade 6

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025

Meaning

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

Etymology

Origin: Latin

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.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

apologiaexcuseacknowledgmentalibiapologeticsadmissionadvocatingadvocationamendsapologetic

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 2 recorded puzzles:

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