# apology

Pronunciation: say "uh-POL-uh-jee" US /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/, UK /əˈpɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/

## Noun

1. An expression of regret or remorse for having said or done something that harmed someone else.
   - Simple: Words you say or write to show you are sorry for hurting someone.
   - _He offered a heartfelt apology to the colleagues he had let down._
   - _The company issued a public apology after the data breach exposed customer records._
2. A formal written or spoken defense of a belief, position, or course of action.
   - Simple: A speech or piece of writing that defends a belief, idea, or action.
   - _The philosopher's apology for democracy ran to several hundred pages._
   - _Critics dismissed the memoir as little more than an apology for his political career._
3. Something offered as a substitute or makeshift in place of the real thing, especially when it falls far short.
   - Simple: A poor substitute that is much worse than the real thing.
   - _The landlord had patched the ceiling with an apology for a repair that lasted barely a week._
   - _A few folding chairs and a card table made up the office's apology for a conference room._

## Origin

It comes from French apologie, from Late Latin apologia, from Ancient Greek apología meaning 'a speech in defence', formed from apó ('from, off') plus lógos ('speech'). It is a doublet of apologia.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/apology (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).