Abbreviation
noun
A shorter form of a word or phrase, made by leaving out some letters or using just the first letter of each word in the phrase.
The abbreviation for United States is US.
Often appears as...
- make an abbreviation
- short abbreviation
noun
A small line or dot placed with a letter to mean that something cannot be seen or to change the meaning of the letter in some way.
In the word don’t, the apostrophe is an abbreviation for another letter that is not written.
Often appears as...
- sign of abbreviation
- use an abbreviation
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A shorter form of a word or phrase, made by leaving out some letters or using just the first letter of each word in the phrase.
The abbreviation for United States is US.
Often appears as...
- make an abbreviation
- short abbreviation
noun
A small line or dot placed with a letter to mean that something cannot be seen or to change the meaning of the letter in some way.
In the word don’t, the apostrophe is an abbreviation for another letter that is not written.
Often appears as...
- sign of abbreviation
- use an abbreviation
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Recognizing Abbreviations
Identify abbreviations by their shorter length and dotted or undotted upper cases in texts.
NATO for North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Pro Tip 2/3Speaking Out
While speaking, say the full word rather than the abbreviation unless it's widely accepted like 'info'.
Use 'information' instead of 'info' in formal presentations.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Variations
Some abbreviations may mean different things in different cultures; always check their context.
'AE' can stand for 'American English' or 'Architectural Engineering'.
Pro Tip 1/3Recognizing Abbreviations
Identify abbreviations by their shorter length and dotted or undotted upper cases in texts.
NATO for North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Pro Tip 2/3Speaking Out
While speaking, say the full word rather than the abbreviation unless it's widely accepted like 'info'.
Use 'information' instead of 'info' in formal presentations.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Variations
Some abbreviations may mean different things in different cultures; always check their context.
'AE' can stand for 'American English' or 'Architectural Engineering'.
Pro Tip 1/3Recognizing Abbreviations
Identify abbreviations by their shorter length and dotted or undotted upper cases in texts.
NATO for North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Pro Tip 2/3Speaking Out
While speaking, say the full word rather than the abbreviation unless it's widely accepted like 'info'.
Use 'information' instead of 'info' in formal presentations.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Variations
Some abbreviations may mean different things in different cultures; always check their context.
'AE' can stand for 'American English' or 'Architectural Engineering'.
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Video examples
How designing brand-new...
and we typically designate them with single-letter abbreviations, so it's really an alphabet of amino acids. In an enzyme, these amino acids are strung together, like pearls on a necklace. And it's really the identity of the amino acids, which letters are in that necklace, and in what order they are, what they spell out,
Video examples
Leslie T. Chang: The...
what exactly she did on the factory floor, she said something to me in Chinese that sounded like "qiu xi." Only much later did I realize that she had been saying "QC," or quality control. She couldn't even tell me what she did on the factory floor. All she could do was parrot a garbled abbreviation
Video examples
Cheryl Hayashi: The...
it's just a portion of it, from the black widow spider. This is the kind of sequence that I love looking at day and night. So what you're seeing here is the one letter abbreviation for amino acids, and I've colored in the glycines with green, and the alanines in red, and so
Video examples
The origin of countless...
Well, when you factor in the number of letters, the variety of possible related words, and all their abbreviations and alternate spellings, they're pretty high. You can try it yourself. Just pick a favorite text, arrange the letters in a grid, and see what you can find.
Video examples
Does "The Wonderful...
Other scholars took up the theme, and the proposed analogies and connections multiplied. They suggested that Dorothy's dog Toto represented the teetotalers of the prohibition party. Oz was clearly the abbreviation for ounces, an important unit in the silver debate.
Video examples
An ode to the millennial...
x-factor we hash tag everything X collaborations use abbreviations and disregard punctuation but so what because we migrated from the mindset of we have to - we want to so rather than know a lot about a little we decided it was better to know a little about a lot
Video examples
How hip-hop helps us...
Actually, that's EPC Which is the abbreviation for extra-pair copulation. Now, we define extra-pair copulation as the mating outside of a pair bond. And just like we were discovering via science, it can lead to babies that don't belong to the male partner.
Video examples
The power in your name PIPE...
too difficult to pronounce they call me abbreviations letters alphabets different letters of the alphabet but never my full name that makes an impact on you in many cases I contemplate it should I change my name should I abbreviate it to make it more
Video examples
The shocking danger of...
Where is the line between scientific certainty and the need to act? The unplanned experiment that is happening right now is called mountaintop removal. The abbreviation for it is MTR. It is a form of surface coal mining
Video examples
Mysteries of vernacular:...
the upper-class initially considered the abbreviation vulgar by the time Edgar Allan Poe printed the word in 1840 pence was a generally accepted term with the meaning we know today
Video examples
How designing brand-new...
and we typically designate them with single-letter abbreviations, so it's really an alphabet of amino acids. In an enzyme, these amino acids are strung together, like pearls on a necklace. And it's really the identity of the amino acids, which letters are in that necklace, and in what order they are, what they spell out,
Video examples
Leslie T. Chang: The...
what exactly she did on the factory floor, she said something to me in Chinese that sounded like "qiu xi." Only much later did I realize that she had been saying "QC," or quality control. She couldn't even tell me what she did on the factory floor. All she could do was parrot a garbled abbreviation
Video examples
Cheryl Hayashi: The...
it's just a portion of it, from the black widow spider. This is the kind of sequence that I love looking at day and night. So what you're seeing here is the one letter abbreviation for amino acids, and I've colored in the glycines with green, and the alanines in red, and so
Video examples
The origin of countless...
Well, when you factor in the number of letters, the variety of possible related words, and all their abbreviations and alternate spellings, they're pretty high. You can try it yourself. Just pick a favorite text, arrange the letters in a grid, and see what you can find.
Video examples
Does "The Wonderful...
Other scholars took up the theme, and the proposed analogies and connections multiplied. They suggested that Dorothy's dog Toto represented the teetotalers of the prohibition party. Oz was clearly the abbreviation for ounces, an important unit in the silver debate.
Video examples
An ode to the millennial...
x-factor we hash tag everything X collaborations use abbreviations and disregard punctuation but so what because we migrated from the mindset of we have to - we want to so rather than know a lot about a little we decided it was better to know a little about a lot
Video examples
How hip-hop helps us...
Actually, that's EPC Which is the abbreviation for extra-pair copulation. Now, we define extra-pair copulation as the mating outside of a pair bond. And just like we were discovering via science, it can lead to babies that don't belong to the male partner.
Video examples
The power in your name PIPE...
too difficult to pronounce they call me abbreviations letters alphabets different letters of the alphabet but never my full name that makes an impact on you in many cases I contemplate it should I change my name should I abbreviate it to make it more
Video examples
The shocking danger of...
Where is the line between scientific certainty and the need to act? The unplanned experiment that is happening right now is called mountaintop removal. The abbreviation for it is MTR. It is a form of surface coal mining
Video examples
Mysteries of vernacular:...
the upper-class initially considered the abbreviation vulgar by the time Edgar Allan Poe printed the word in 1840 pence was a generally accepted term with the meaning we know today
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
David Crystal
English Educator
People say that text messaging is a new language and that people are filling texts with abbreviations - but when you actually analyse it, you find they're not.
Quote examples
Elias
American Wrestler
I'm starting to think they know that WWE stands for Walk With Elias more than any other abbreviation.
Quote examples
Marilyn vos Savant
American Writer
Know the official post office abbreviations for all 50 states without having to consult a list.
Quote examples
Philip Hammond
British Politician
The military never uses a full word if they can create an abbreviation.
Quote examples
David Crystal
English Educator
People say that text messaging is a new language and that people are filling texts with abbreviations - but when you actually analyse it, you find they're not.
Quote examples
Elias
American Wrestler
I'm starting to think they know that WWE stands for Walk With Elias more than any other abbreviation.
Quote examples
Marilyn vos Savant
American Writer
Know the official post office abbreviations for all 50 states without having to consult a list.
Quote examples
Philip Hammond
British Politician
The military never uses a full word if they can create an abbreviation.
Example 1 of 4
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