Apostolical ness, Apostolicism, Apostolicity

The quality of being apostolic. Apostol'ics, n. pl. ( Eccl. Hist.) The name of three sects who profe ed to imitate the manners and practice of the apostles. The first flourished at the close of the 2d century, and the second existed in the 12th century. Little is known of them. The third was founded about 1260, by Gerhard Sagarelli, who was burnt as a heretic A. D. 1300, and was succeeded as chief apostle by Dolcino, a learned man of Milan, who was also burnt at Vercelli, A. D. 1307. Apostrophe, n . [Gr. from apo - strepho , to turn away from.] ( Rhet .) A figure of speech by which an orator turns from his subject to addre a person either absent or dead, as if he was present. (Gram.) A mark (') indicating that a word is contracted; as, lov'd for loved . Also, the sign of the pos se ive case; as, "Peter's book."