Advertisement
apologetic (adj.)
1640s, "vindicatory, containing a defense," from French apologétique, from Latin apologeticus, from Greek apologetikos "defensible," from apologeisthai "speak in one's defense," from apologos "an account, story," from apo "away from, off" (see apo-) + logos "speech," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather," with derivatives meaning "to speak (to 'pick out words')." Meaning "regretfully acknowledging failure" is by 1836 (apologetic for himself).
Advertisement
Advertisement
Definitions of apologetic
Dictionary entries near apologetic
apogee
apolitical
Apollo
Apollonian
Apollyon
apologetic
apologetics
apologia
apological
apologise
apologist