1640s, "vindicatory," from French apologétique, from Latin apologeticus, from Greek apologetikos "defensible," from apologeisthai (see apology). Meaning "regretfully acknowledging failure" is from 1855. As a noun, "formal defense," from early 15c. Related: Apologetics (c. 1753).
双语例句
1. The hospital staff were very apologetic but that couldn't really compensate.
医院的工作人员深表歉意，但这真的于事无补。
来自柯林斯例句
2. They were almost apologetic about the improvements they'd made.
对于他们所做的改进，他们简直感到愧疚。
来自柯林斯例句
3. "I don't follow football," she said with an apologetic smile.
