Short And Shorter: Abbreviations And Acronyms
An abbreviation is a short form of a word or phrase used in order to save time or space. Here are some abbreviations.
A.M. / P.M.
"ante meridiem" (before noon) / "post meridiem" (afternoon)
ATM
automated teller machine
Ave.
Avenue
B.C. / A.D
before Christ / "anno Domini" (in the year of the Lord)
ESP
extra-sensory perception
etc.
et cetera (and so forth)
FYI
for your information
Inc.
Incorporated
IQ
intelligence quotient
mph
miles per hour
org.
Organization
oz.
ounce
PC
personal computer
pp.
pages
PS
post script
PTA
Parent-Teacher Association
rpm
revolutions per minute
SASE
self-addressed stamped envelope
St.
Street
TLC
Tender, loving care
TV
television
VCR
video cassette recorder
An acronym is a kind of abbreviation. It is a word you can pronounce, formed from the first letters, or other parts, of a group of words.
Every day, the CIA (an abbreviation for the Central Intelligence Agency) sends the president of the United States a PICKLE (an acronym for the President's Intelligence Check List).
These words you see every day are acronyms.
AWOL
Absent WithOut Leave
laser
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
Lego
LEs GOdt (Danish for "play well")
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NOW
National Organization for Women
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World Almanac for Kids
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Diver wearing scuba gear
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PIN
Personal Identification Number
radar
RAdio Detecting And Ranging
scuba
Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
sitcom
SITuation COMedy
UNICEF
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund
Velcro
VELour + CROchet
yuppie
Young Urban Professional
ZIP
Zone Improvement Plan
We often use abbreviations before or after people's names. For example, a doctor might be called Dr. I. M. Well or I. M. Well, M.D. (M.D. stands for medical doctor.)
Special fields have their own abbreviations.
Internet:
Abbreviations are a part of the everyday language of the Internet and e-mail (electronic mail). FYI (for your information), URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator, which is the official name for an Internet address. There's much more, but TTFN (ta-ta for now).
Computers:
To use your personal computer (PC), you start, or boot up, the system. The computer works by using a central processing unit (CPU) that reads and writes using random access memory (RAM). BTW (by the way), to find the answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), check with your computer manufacturer's online services.
Sports:
Most college teams play in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). Men's professional football, basketball, and hockey teams all belong to national leagues (the NFL, NBA, and NHL). There is also a women's professional basketball league -- the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association). Baseball has two leagues, the National League (NL) and the American League (AL). The abbreviations NL and AL are used in giving baseball stats (statistics).
Navigation:
Navigators use N, S, E, and W to refer to compass directions.
Lenguaje: Cortas y más cortas: Abreviaturas y siglas (Spanish Version)