abbreviation

"Abbreviation" is a straightforward word with one core meaning, but it's useful to understand the different forms it can take. It refers to a shortened version of a word or phrase — and English is full of them!

1nounshortened form of a word

An abbreviation is when you take a long word and shorten it to save time or space. For example, 'Dr.' is an abbreviation of 'Doctor', and 'St.' is an abbreviation of 'Street'. You see these everywhere in writing.

everyday language, writing · Modern, widely used

The abbreviation 'etc.' stands for the Latin phrase 'et cetera', meaning 'and so on'.

On the form, the abbreviation 'DOB' means 'Date of Birth'.

She used the abbreviation 'approx.' instead of writing 'approximately' in full.

2nounshortened form of a phrase (acronym or initialism)

An abbreviation can also be made from the first letters of several words put together. For example, 'NASA' comes from 'National Aeronautics and Space Administration'. When each letter is said individually, like 'FBI', it is called an initialism — but both are types of abbreviations.

everyday language, science, business, medicine · Modern, widely used

The abbreviation 'UN' stands for 'United Nations'.

Most people know the abbreviation 'ASAP', which means 'as soon as possible'.

The doctor wrote 'BP' on the chart — it is a common medical abbreviation for 'blood pressure'.

3nounthe process of shortening something

Sometimes 'abbreviation' refers to the act or process of making something shorter, not just the result. Think of it as the action of cutting a word or phrase down to a smaller size.

writing, linguistics · Formal, also used in academic contexts

The abbreviation of long technical terms makes scientific writing much easier to read.

Through abbreviation, the title 'Mister' became the familiar 'Mr.' we use today.

The style guide recommends abbreviation of common units, such as writing 'km' instead of 'kilometres'.