Abbreviations

Each type of abbreviation differs in its shortening process but all create a shortened form of a word or phrase.

Origins of Abbreviations

Where do abbreviations come from? As with any word or phrase shortening, abbreviations are created to allow quicker and more effective communication. When the meaning of an abbreviation is universally known (such as ASAP), it can be used in full confidence that the reader will understand what is meant (as soon as possible). In some circumstances, the abbreviation becomes so well-known that the full form can get forgotten or disregarded.

When the abbreviated form of a word or phrase becomes more well-known than the long version, it has fully integrated into the English language and is a good way to save time.

Types of Abbreviation

Let's have a look at the different types of abbreviations and their characteristics so you can see how to differentiate them from one another.

Acronyms

Acronyms are a type of abbreviation that shorten a longer phrase into a singular word.

Some examples of acronyms are:

• RADAR - Radio Detection And Ranging

• LASER - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

• NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• PIN - Personal Identification Number

• SONAR - Sound Navigation And Ranging

Initialisms

An initialism is another form of shortened phrase where the initial letters of the words are used.

Some examples of initialisms are:

• FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation

• PR - Public Relations

• PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• CIA - Central Intelligence Agency

• FAQ - Frequently Asked Question

Clippings

A Clipping can form either an abbreviated-type word (e.g., Mrs) or a well-known word that you may not know has been abbreviated (e.g., pub).

Contractions

A contraction occurs when two words are joined together by replacing a letter or group of letters with an apostrophe.

Some examples of contractions are:

• can't - can not

• shan't - shall not

• it's - it is

• goodbye - God be with you

• you've - you have

Blends

Like contractions, blend words are formed by joining two or more words.

Some examples of blends are:

• docudrama - documentary drama
• emoticon - emotion icon
• motel - motor hotel
• mansplaining - man explaining
• workaholic - work alcoholic

Abbreviation Examples

Many abbreviations occur in specific fields, such as technology, medicine, and writing. We've already mentioned some examples, but let's have a look at a few more in specific fields.

Abbreviations in technology

Abbreviations are often used in technology to refer to the lexicon surrounding computers. Here are some examples:

These are all one type of abbreviation - initialisms.

Abbreviations in texting

One of the areas where you'll most often see abbreviations used in day-to-day life is instant messaging and texting. Here are some examples you'll likely be familiar with:

Like with the abbreviations associated with technology, these texting abbreviations are mostly initialisms. An exception could be the abbreviation LOL which can be pronounced either letter by letter (ell - oh - ell) or as a singular word (lol), meaning it can be both an initialism and an acronym.

Abbreviations - Gramograms

Another type of abbreviation you may often see in text-speak is gramorgrams.

Some examples of gramorgrams are:

Fig 3. Texting was more time-consuming and costly on older mobile phones, so abbreviations were often used to use fewer characters per text.

Abbreviations in text messaging occurred for a more specific reason than most other abbreviations. These were initially coined in the days of paying per character in a text, so people would try to make their messages as short as possible.

Abbreviations for Titles

Abbreviations are often used for titles when referring to people. Titles are most often clippings.

Here are some abbreviations for titles:

Abbreviations for Time

Abbreviations can be used to refer to times of day, historical times, time periods, or times of the year.

Some abbreviations for times are:

Abbreviations for Places

Most countries can be referred to by an abbreviated form.

Some examples of abbreviations for counties are:

Some of these are initialisms and some are clippings - can you tell which are which?

Abbreviations for Measurements

Another area where abbreviations are used is in measurements. Some that you may have come across are:

Now, let's clear up some areas that may cause confusion regarding abbreviations:

• Abbreviation synonyms
• Abbreviations vs. acronyms

Abbreviation Synonyms

There aren't any specific synonyms for the term abbreviation, although the terms acronym and abbreviation are often confused.

It's best to remember that the term abbreviation is actually a cover-all term used to refer to the five following word types:

Abbreviation vs. Acronym

It's a common misconception that abbreviations and acronyms are different things. The truth is, acronyms are a type of abbreviation. The terms can sometimes be used interchangeably when referring to acronyms, however, abbreviations won't always be used to refer solely to acronyms.

To prevent yourself from confusing the terms, remember the following:

• All acronyms are a type of abbreviation

• Not all abbreviations are acronyms

• There are five types of abbreviations:

  • acronyms

  • initialisms

  • clippings

  • contractions

  • blends

Abbreviation List

Now that we've gone over all the different types of abbreviations, let's have a look at some examples for all of them.