Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Late Latin
Origin: apologia 'written or spoken defense', from Greek, from apo- ( APOCALYPSE) + logos 'speech'

apology

 noun
     
a‧pol‧o‧gy S3 plural apologies
1 [uncountable and countable] something that you say or write to show that you are sorry for doing something wrongCOLLOCATIONS COLLOCATIONS
receive an apology owe somebody an apology demand an apology accept an apology make an apology (for something) issue an apology (=make an official apology - used about governments, companies etc) I make no apology (for something) (=used when saying you are not sorry about something) letter of apology written apology formal apology public apology by way of apology (=in order to show you are sorry)
apology from
She finally received an apology from the company.
I feel I owe you an apology.
He wrote to the editor of the newspaper demanding an immediate apology.
apology for
Please accept my sincere apologies for my behaviour yesterday.
She had to make a formal public apology for her remarks.
I make no apology for repeating the question.
Those affected have been sent letters of apology.
'He always does this,' said Isabelle, by way of apology.
2

apologies

[plural] a message that you send to a meeting to say that you will not be able to come to the meeting:
Edward can't be here today, but he sends his apologies.
3

make your apologies

to say that you are sorry but you have to leave:
I quickly made my apologies and left.
4 [countable] literary a statement in which you defend something you believe in after it has been criticized by other people
apology for
an apology for Christianity
5

an apology for something

a very bad example of something:
They served us up an apology for a meal.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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