APOS'TROPHIZE, verb intransitive or t. 1. To make an apostrophe, or short detached address in speaking; to address by apostrophy. 2. verb transitive To contract a word by omitting a letter or letters. 3. To mark with a comma, indicating the omission of a letter.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI