greengrocer's apostrophe
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From the misuse of apostrophes on signs in greengrocers' shops.
Noun
greengrocer's apostrophe (plural greengrocer's apostrophes)
- An incorrectly used apostrophe, especially one mistakenly used to form the plural of a noun, for example to write the plural of banana as banana's instead of bananas.
- 1998, Richard M. Hogg et al., The Cambridge History of the English Language, page 121:
- It is hardly surprising that these conventions seem to be in rapid collapse, with what has been called "the greengrocer's apostrophe" (apple's 60p, Antique's, linguistic's, and perhaps even mean't, all personally attested) […]
- 2004, Joy Burrough-Boenisch, Righting English That's Gone Dutch:
- When applied in English it produces greengrocer's apostrophes.
Translations
incorrectly used apostrophe
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