Apostrophe

Webster's Practical Dictionary- A Practical Dictionary of the Englih Language · 1884 · p. 31

a-poslro-f 1, n. (Rhet.) A turning away from the real auditory, and addre ing an imaginary one. (Gram.) Contraction of a word by omitting letters; the mark ['] denoting contraction, — Apos'trophize, -fiz, v. t. [-phized (-tizd), -prizing.] To addre by apostrophe; to contract by omitting, etc.