Apologetic Definition
ə-pŏlə-jĕtĭk
apologetics
adjective
Offering or expressing an apology or excuse.
An apologetic note; an apologetic smile.
American Heritage
Defending in writing or speech; vindicating.
Webster's New World
Self-deprecating; humble.
An apologetic manner.
American Heritage
Showing realization of and regret for a fault, wrong, etc.; making an apology.
Webster's New World
Serving as or containing a formal justification or defense.
An apologetic treatise on church doctrine.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
- excusatory
- satisfactional
- restitutional
- rehabilitative
- reclamatory
- compensational
- deprecatory
- supplicating
- remorseful
- regretful
- penitent
- expiatory
- contrite
- atoning
- vindicatory
Antonyms:
noun
A formal defense or apology.
American Heritage
A formal defense, often written, of a belief, cause, etc.
Webster's New World
Origin of Apologetic
-
Middle English formal defense from Latin apologēticus from Greek apologētikos suitable for defense from apologeisthai to defend oneself verbally from apologos apology, story apologue
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
From French apologétique, from Ancient Greek ἀπολογητικός (apologētikos, “of or suitable for defense”), from ἀπολογέσθαι (apologesthai, “to speak in defense of”).
From Wiktionary
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