Apologies

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈpɒləd͡ʒiːz/

Definitions

1. Acknowledgments of wrongdoing accompanied by feelings of regret; Formal or informal pleas for forgiveness after making a mistake; Statements made to express remorse and facilitate reconciliation with those affected by an error or misjudgment
2. Statements expressing sorrow or remorse for actions that caused harm or offense
3. Words used to convey regret and seek pardon after a mistake or wrongdoing

Etymology: "Apologies" is the plural of "apology", so its history is really the history of that word. "Apology" came into English from Old French "apologie", which in turn came from Latin "apologia" and Greek "apologia", a formal defence speech. In Greek law and rhetoric, an "apologia" was a reasoned speech answering an accusation, not an expression of regret, and that sense of justifying oneself survives in phrases like "make no apologies for," where the speaker defends rather than repents. The shift toward saying sorry came gradually. Over time the word moved from defending one's conduct to acknowledging a fault and seeking pardon, which is why "apologies" in the plural now usually means expressions of regret. The plural form is the ordinary one for a word used for repeated or formal acts of saying sorry, as in "please accept my apologies."

Synonyms: excuses, regrets, reparations, amends, atonements

Antonyms: insults, offenses