a·pol·o·get·ic

(ə-pŏl′ə-jĕt′ĭk) also a·pol·o·get·i·cal (-ĭ-kəl)

adj.

1. Offering or expressing an apology or excuse: an apologetic note; an apologetic smile.

2. Self-deprecating; humble: an apologetic manner.

3. Serving as or containing a formal justification or defense: an apologetic treatise on church doctrine.

A formal defense or apology.

[Middle English, formal defense, from Latin apologēticus, from Greek apologētikos, suitable for defense, from apologeisthai, to defend oneself verbally, from apologos, apology, story; see apologue.]

a·pol′o·get′i·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adv.

apologetically - in an apologetic manner; "he spoke apologetically about his past"

Translations

بِصورَة إعْتِذارِيَّه

omluvně

entschuldigend

mentegető zve

afsakandi

in modo contrito

ospravedlňujúco

özür dileyerek

道歉地

apologetically

[əˌpɒləˈdʒɛtɪkli] adv [say, smile] → en s'excusant

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

apologetically

adv say, smile → entschuldigend

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

apologetically

[əˌpɒləˈdʒɛtɪk/əlɪ] adv → per scusarsi

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

apologize,

apologise

(əˈpolədʒaiz) verb

to say that one is sorry, for having done something wrong, for a fault etc. I must apologize to her for my rudeness.

aˌpoloˈgetic (-ˈdʒetik) adjective

showing regret or saying one is sorry for having done something wrong etc. an apologetic letter.

aˌpoloˈgetically adverb

aˈpology – plural aˈpologies – noun

Please accept my apology for not arriving on time; He made his apologies for not attending the meeting.

Mentioned in

deprecatingly

References in classic literature

She was always taking little houses for somebody's good, for the sick or the sorry, for broken-down artists, cleaned- out gamblers, temporarily unlucky speculators - VIEUX AMIS - old friends, as she used to explain apologetically, with a shrug of her fine shoulders.

View in context

"If the count had been at home..." Mavra Kuzminichna went on apologetically. "Christ be with you, sir!

View in context

"The night-clerk rose, bowed (apologetically) and--well, he was no longer there, and at that moment I felt a hand laid upon my shoulder from behind.

View in context

It was there I first saw him, sitting on a low bench by the door, his plush cap in his hands, his bare feet tucked apologetically under the seat.

View in context

"It's the custom, sir," he added apologetically. And not long after, without another word, he passed away.

View in context

"I want food," said I, almost apologetically, and drawing near.

View in context

Hilda said nothing, and as they walked on MacConnell spoke again, apologetically: "I hope you don't mind my knowing about it, Hilda.

View in context

"Oh, I know nothing about it; I only said what I should like," he said apologetically.

View in context

"That's the only money I've got," she said apologetically. "Thank you, little miss," said the man, in a less respectful and grateful tone than Maggie anticipated, and she even observed that he smiled and winked at his companion.

View in context

"Ask Hannah for some nice little mess, and take it round, Beth, the air will do you good," said Jo, adding apologetically, "I'd go but I want to finish my writing."

View in context

"It wasn't MY idea," said Rebecca apologetically. "I had only made the first line when I saw you were going to ring the bell and say the time was up.

View in context

The great numbers on their backs, as if they were street doors; their coarse mangy ungainly outer surface, as if they were lower animals; their ironed legs, apologetically garlanded with pocket-handkerchiefs; and the way in which all present looked at them and kept from them; made them (as Herbert had said) a most disagreeable and degraded spectacle.

View in context