initialism examples list

When you use this kind of acronym, you should treat it like a regular word by writing it in lowercase letters. The World Wide Web is the only thing I know of whose shortened form takes three times longer to say than what its short for Douglas Adams in The Independent on Sunday, 1999. Instead, each letter is pronounced separately: FAQ frequently asked questions TBA SI units used with a numeral are never spelled out. One of the most commonly used chat abbreviations in our acronyms list. Never miss another tip! ILY means I love you. Home Affairs (Department of Home Affairs), spell out the agencys name in full the first time you use it. Acronyms and initialisms are common in formal content. Check out a few initialisms used in the medical field. ALS: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is just one of many diseases more widely referred to by its initialism. The unwieldy full name is necessary for doctors to specify the particular nature of the illness, but an abbreviation serves for quicker communication. An abbreviation is a truncated word; an acronym is made up of parts of the phrase it stands for and is pronounced as a word (ELISA, AIDS, GABA); an initialism is an acronym that is pronounced as individual letters (DNA, RT-PCR). Sometimes we have a lot to say, but little time to say it. Examples include, Acronyms are made from the first letter (or letters) of a string of words but are pronounced as if they were words themselves. If they used an acronym or initialism, quote it. I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. Why not send us 500 words for free and find out how we can help? PIN Personal Identification Number How to use acronyms in a sentence? When letters make sounds that aren't associated w One goose, two geese. Acronyms comprise the initial letters (and sometimes syllables) of the words in a term and are pronounced as a word. Send us feedback about these examples. So, whats the difference between an acronym and initialism? Examples and Observations Amy Einsohn: Most style manuals call for spacing between initials in a personal name: A. However, initialisms are pronounced as a list of letters, not as a word: Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox. Show the full term in square brackets if users might not recognise the term or if you havent already explained it. Key: An [1]initialism is an acronym University of Chicago (2017) 10.2: Acronyms, initialisms, contractions, Chicago manual of style, 17th edn, University of Chicago Press, Chicago. . 'UNICEF' is an acronym. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Review a few common examples. Pam Peters: The practice of using initials to represent given names has been more common in Europe than in America or Australia. Alienating the audience: how abbreviations hamper scientific communication, The ultimate list of social media acronyms and abbreviations, G102: providing the expansion or explanation of an abbreviation, H28: providing definitions for abbreviations by using the abbr element, PDF8: Providing definitions for abbreviations via an E entry for a structure element, Understanding Success Criterion 3.1.4: abbreviations, How to create content that works well with screen readers. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! Bcc and Cc are initialisms that you will see as options in your email program. Organzation names aroften initialisms of his type. However, acronyms are pronounced as a word (e.g., PIN), whereas initialisms cant easily be pronounced as a word, so instead, they are spoken as a list of letters (e.g., DVD). There are It comes from the phrase "oll korrect," a humorous alteration of "all correct.". Abbreviations can be shortened forms of any kind. LMFAO means Laughing my freaking *a* off. = I need more detail to answer my question. Email: contact@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email. Youve looked at abbreviations that can be acronyms, initialisms and both, but what about those abbreviations that are neither? It is an abbreviation of "oh Some specific examples follow: amino acid 'UNICEF' is an acronym. https://proofed.com/writing-tips/acronyms-vs-initialisms-whats-the-difference ADDucations acronyms list slang covers the basics but acronymfinder.com is a dictionary style website devoted to obscure and specialized acronyms, abbreviations and urban slang. (for the word example) cm. WebFor example, FBI is an initialism of Federal Bureau of Investigation; TMI is an initialism of too much information. Oxford University Press (2016) 10: Abbreviations and symbols, New Oxford style manual, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Avoid SOB (shortness of breath, sulfur-oxidizing bacteria), if possible. You use it when you want to send a message not only to the main addressee but also to other interested parties. Initialisms are words comprised of the first letter of phrases, but you say the individual letters instead of combining them to make a new word (think RSVPyou dont create a new word when reading it aloud). SMH means Shaking my head. B. Cherry ( not A.B. It did not explicitly warn against their use. Consult a dictionary if youre unsure of the capitalisation. Check out the list to see some common abbreviations that you might use everyday. Acronyms are normally written in capital letters, although some British style guides recommend capitalizing only the first letter (e.g., Unicef). It is the nature of active, living languages that as soon as a rule is set down, exceptions arise. Nordquist, Richard. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Abbreviate UK and USA when used as part of an address, e.g., affiliations and address for correspondence. Quotations and Block Quotes in Chicago Referencing, 5 Grammar Rules That Can be Broken in English. 'ACLU' is an initialism. then use the generic name (department, agency, bureau) afterwards. Initialisms are abbreviations that are pronounced one letter at a time. There are a few of them out there. Use the shortened form rather than the full term for later mentions. You can find them all over the place from the different departments to laws. CDC twenty four seven. Both of these types of abbreviations are typically written in capital letters without punctuation unless your style guide says otherwise. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter! STI While not as common in some areas, you can find acronyms all over the board or world for that matter. They take the place of the words they represent. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. We'll use your email address you provided in feedback above to invite you to participate in user research. Its kind of an extension of the last episode, because I want to clarify the difference between abbreviations and acronyms. The article a or an should match the sound of the abbreviation or acronym, not the word for which it stands. Privacy Policy. The exception is if the shortened form ends a sentence and isnt followed by another punctuation mark. opens in a new windowAn excellent discussion by HTML developers about acronyms and abbreviations. Acronyms are only useful when everyone understands (or doesnt need to understand) what they stand for otherwise its jargon. Abbreviations are found in almost every area of life. Abbreviate Street when part of address, with no period. If the acronym or initialism represents a proper noun, start each word with a capital letter (excluding words such as of andand). ROFL means Rolling on floor laughing. probably borrowed from German Akronym, Akronymon, from akr- acr- + -onym, -onymon -onym, You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these right. GOV.UK (2016) AZ: abbreviations and acronyms, Style guide, GOV.UK, accessed 4 May 2020. For the purposes of this section, abbreviation will refer to all of these. The topic I'm looking for is not in the Style Manual. The word acronym typically applies when the resulting thing can be read as a word; for example, radar comes from "radio detection and ranging" and scuba comes from "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus." ASAP As soon as possible 3. Did you know canola in canola oil is an acronym? . To make sureall shortened forms are accessible: If theres a chance users wont know the meaning of an acronym or initialism, define it at first mention. Rest in peace (this can also be an initialism, as some people say r i p), Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound (commonly used when setting goals). Key: An [1]initialism is an acronym where the letters, which form the abbreviation, are pronounced as letters. I. Affiliations may be abbreviated at the authors discretion in the Address for Correspondence. This post will explain the rules you should follow when using initialisms and acronyms in your writing. Our research shows that acronym is commonly used to refer to both types of abbreviations. Concrete vs. Abstract Nouns Whats the Difference? We'll use your email address to invite you to participate in user research. Initialisms are always written in capital letters, and, like acronyms, they only need periods after each letter if youre following a style guide that requires them. Whether you want to manage your money better, rock your professional life, stay fit and eat healthy, or discover the keys to better mental health, Quick and Dirty Tips delivers short-form podcasts and articles every week to keep you at the top of your game, usually in ten minutes or less! Viruses People unfamiliar with certain terms might not understand their shortened forms. In these instances, write the abbreviation, then spell out in parentheses, even if it appears only once in the article. Thankfully, you don't have to know whether something is an abbreviation, initialism, or acronym to use it properly. This makes them a subset of abbreviations. 2023. The digitaledition updates punctuation style for shortened forms. Use standard abbreviations only; do not make up abbreviations. Initialisms are featured in politics, corporate branding, scientific and medical terminology, and casual conversation alike. ADDucation Tips: Click column headings with arrows to sort the acronyms list alphabetically. You dont need to define some acronyms and initialisms on first use. When you first introduce an acronym or initialism in a piece of writing, you should use the full phrase followed by its abbreviation in parentheses: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) was founded in 1889. Your email address will not be published. Avoid using the plural or possessive of an acronym or initialism when you define it. An acronym is an abbreviation of a phrase created by using the first letter of each word (or some of the words) in the phrase. Examples: NOW (National Organization of Women) US or U.S., USA or U.S.A. (United States) It comes down to how you pronounce an abbreviation that is going to make it an initialism, an acronym or both. Susanne Ruststaff ASAP, however, also qualifies as an acronym because it is made up of the initial letters of the phrase it comes from: as soon as possible. ADDucations acronyms list A-Z includes examples of acronyms which have become so popular that the original abbreviation, Latin or wordplay is often forgotten. Wodehouse) making the spacingexactly like that used in initialisms. Some publications put periods after each letter, arguing that because each letter is essentially an abbreviation for a word, periods are necessary. She has appeared as a guest expert on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Today Show. In most cases, initialisms are preceded by an article (i.e., a, an, or the). This will show whether using acronyms and initialisms is appropriate and, if so, which shortened forms are used. What is the difference between an acronym and an abbreviation? They replace full names and special terms in text. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is known by the, Enlarge NurPhoto / Contributor | NurPhoto Today an Italian regulator, the Guarantor for the Protection of Personal Data (referred to by its Italian, One fan held a sign with a simple, relevant, But the voluntary carbon market also coined the, At the top of the list isn't actually a word, but an, Three animals found living at the house were seized and taken to a shelter by the Jurez Department of Animal Welfare of the Municipal Rescue and Adoption of Pets agency, known by its, This story has been updated to reflect that PFLAG is no longer an, Post the Definition of acronym to Facebook, Share the Definition of acronym on Twitter. We submitted it under GenBank accession no. Learn a new word every day. Several acronyms have become accepted as words in their own right. Examples of this would be things like RAM (Random Access Memory); LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation); NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and OPEC (Organization of Latin abbreviations, such as etc. clipping. Saving Lives, Protecting People, Challenges in Forecasting Antimicrobial Resistance, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, OIE, World Organisation for Animal Health. Content Design London (2019) Abbreviations and acronyms, Content Design London readability guidelines, Content Design London website, accessed 30 March 2020. IKR means I know, right. WebInitialism definition: An abbreviation consisting of the first letter or letters of words in a phrase (for example, IRS for Internal Revenue Service ), syllables or components of a OFC means Of course. Web Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2022 The outbreak which researchers call by its initialism, HPAI is relatively novel to this part of this world. However, articles are often omitted in front of abbreviations. The practice of using an initial as well as a given name, as in J. Arthur Rank, Dwight D. Eisenhower is more widespread in the US than in the UK. Spell out on first mention and use only if it occurs a substantial number (>3 times) of times (subject to editorial discretion). The names of government departments are often shortened, but not always in the same way. cycle threshold Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed by using the first letter of each word in a phrase. Join our list to get updates from your favorite hosts delivered straight to your inbox. Thats where acronyms come in and help speed things up. Check out a few initialisms used in the medical field. These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acronym.' However, there are various exceptions to this rulefor example, substances (e.g., LSD) and medical conditions (e.g., RSI). We recommend our users to update the browser. Shes the GOAT!) or a superstar in a particular field (Saw the GOAT himself, John Williams, conduct an orchestra last night!). When preparing content for well-established publications, such as professional journals, look at the author guidelines and examples of the content. Abbreviations can, however, be used in a heading if previously established. The FBI will investigate the crime. WebList of acronyms and initialisms Page Talk Read Edit Change source View history Tools Contents Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9 [ change opens in a new windowDictionary.com entry for Initialism Find her on Mastodon. But few are as familiar with term initialism, or of an important distinction between the two.. An acronym is an initial abbreviation that can be pronounced as a word, such as NASA or WASP.This term is also used to refer to a series of initials pronounced individually, such as FBI or TGIF, but the Check out our earlier blog post for more info on using articles with acronyms and initialisms. What is the difference between the words acronym and initialism? But, what is the difference between an acronym and initialism? An initial is the first letter of each word in a proper name. Most people know what an acronym is. Exception: Write out in research articles if not preceded by number or if used alone; i.e., not part of a recipe.. Wright N (n.d.) Keep it jargon-free, Resources, plainlanguage.gov. You can review and change the way we collect information below. These terms may also be used in running heads. Hales A, Williams K and Rector J (February 2017) Alienating the audience: how abbreviations hamper scientific communication, Association for Psychological Science, accessed 7 January 2020. When it comes to abbreviations, you will commonly see two different types: initialisms and acronyms. For instance: The BBC received many complaints about the show. Common examples NVM means Never mind. Heres a quick guide to keep you in the know and help you communicate faster (we also included some common abbreviations and initialisms for reference). The group was founded in 1920 during a convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, held only six months before the 19th Amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote [T]hose at the state level say that some League officers would like to follow the lead of the AARP, now more recognized for its initials than for the stodgier and sometimes misleading name, the American Association of Retired Persons. We cannot reply to individual questions and requests for help. Spell reverse transcription at first use; do not use an en dash between reverse transcription and PCR. Spell real-time reverse transcription at first use; use a hyphen in the term real-time, but do not use an en dash between reverse transcription and PCR. Any shortened form of a word is an abbreviation, for example, etc. W3C (n.d.) H28: providing definitions for abbreviations by using the abbr element, Techniques for WCAG 2.0, W3C website, accessed 7 January 2020. Any opinions expressed in the examples do not The digital edition lists common shortened forms and provides advice on the limited circumstances where they could be used and how to punctuate them. Therefore, initialisms can come in handy. All rights reserved. It advisedto avoid using Latin shortened forms, in line with the guidance in this edition of Style Manual. When quoting an exact phrase, write exactly what the speaker said. The distinction between acronyms and initialisms - acronyms are pronounced as a single word, initialisms are pronounced as a series of individual letters - is, like many English language rules, very simple and slightly subjective. Delivered to your inbox! An acronym is a kind of abbreviation. 'ACLU' is an initialism. The Content Guide mentions shortened words and phrases but did not provide detailed advice. The term was preceded in English by the word initialism, meaning an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of a phrase, and which has been in use since the late 19th century. Required fields are marked *. WebAn initialism for Consumer Value Store DARE: Drug Abuse Resistance Education: Epcot: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow: FIFA: Fdration Internationale de By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. A new word formed by joining the start of one word with the end of another. Initialisms are a common component of both official and conversational English. To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: We take your privacy seriously. Yes! WebABC is an initialism for American Broadcasting Corporation. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. STFU means Shut the *freak* up. Note that the word acronym is also sometimes used to mean "initialism.". Doctors and nurses are busy. Use an initial capital for familiar acronyms that are proper nouns (Qantas, Anzac). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. SOB The fascinating story behind many people's favori Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz! ThoughtCo, Apr. An abbreviation consisting of the first letter This means that they dont have time to Now, its time for acronyms. Use subscript "t". https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-an-initialism-1691173 (accessed May 1, 2023). Words to look for are Programme vs. opens in a new windowEveryday Acronyms. Mignon Fogarty is the founder of Quick and Dirty Tips and the author of seven books on language, including the New York Times bestseller "Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing." Select the answer that best describes your feedback: I can't find the information I'm looking for. A few famous examples include: Medicine is full of complicated words and phrases that doctors just dont have time for. Differences Between an Initialism and an Acronym. On the other hand, if the words in a spelled-out version of an acronym or Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about initialism. While youll find initialisms a plenty, acronyms are right in the thick of it too. B. Cherry (not A.B. From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_acronyms_and_initialisms&oldid=8061305, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License, COBOL - Common Business-Orientated Language, FPS - First Person Shooter, Frames Per Second, HTTPS - Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, RTFM - Read The Fine ( or Flippin' ) Manual, SCUBA - Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. The Chicago Manual of Style, sixteenth edition (2010) briefly addresses the question of whether the spelled-out form of an initialism or acronym should be initial-capped if the short form is capitalized, at 10.6 Capital versus lowercase for acronyms and initialisms:. Acronyms and initialisms are also abbreviations. Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. An Introduction to Relative Pronouns With Examples, How SubjectVerb Agreement Works With And/Or. Matthew Cohen/Rd.com, Nicole Fornabaio/Rd.com, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), This $12 Root Spray Conceals Gray Strands Until Your Next Wash Day, Word Power Vocabulary Quiz: Words That Shine, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Abbreviations for ante meridiem and post meridiem, An abbreviation meaning in case you missed it, An abbreviation meaning for what its worth, Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. This is a departure from advice in the sixth edition, which listed thoroughly anglicised shortened forms used regularly in publications. WebDefine initialism. You can then see how some abbreviations can be both initialisms and acronyms. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. HONDA - Hang On, Not Done Accelerating. Initialisms are often all upper case (VOIP, FOI) but there are exceptions (bpm). One moose, two moose. Amy Einsohn: Most style manuals call for spacing between initials in a personal name: A. (American style) Mr Green asked Ms Grey if she had met Dr Jekyl. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Accessed 1 May. Both the Chicago Manual of Style (2003) and Copy-editing (1992) use stops after each initial, as well as space, as shown in the names above. blend. Acronyms are usually all capitals, but use lower case for some familiar acronyms (taser,captcha, laser). Cc stands for carbon copy.. Cherry). However, if you are confident that your readers will already be familiar with the abbreviation (e.g., UFO, TV), theres no need to spell out the full version. (2023, April 5). TOYOTA - Too Often Yankees Overprice This Auto. Dont place a full stop after the acronym or initialism. Narod S, Ahmed H and Akbari M (2016) Do acronyms belong in the medical literature? Initial letter. When writing out affiliations, use the official spelling, which may or may not be American spelling. We'll use your email address if we need more information from you about your feedback. Acronym used in mathematics to remember the trigonometric functions sine, cosine, and tangent. If the acronym or initialism represents common nouns, dont begin each word of the full form with a capital letter. If the acronym or initialism represents a proper noun, start each word with a capital letter (excluding words such as of and and). Avoid using the plural or possessive of an acronym or initialism when you define it. The fascinating story behind many people's favori Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz! Why? For When 'Lowdown Crook' Isn't Specific Enough. Acronyms are created to shorten long phrases and speed up communication, much like abbreviations and initialisms. Other publications dont put periods after each letter, arguing that the copy looks cleaner without them, and that because they are made up of all capital letters, the fact that they are abbreviations is implied. 'We are working hard to put out the logo, LWV,' said Martha Kennedy, state membership chairwoman. It isnt usually necessary to use any punctuation, but in US English, it is acceptable to punctuate acronyms with a period after each letter if you wish to. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Various celebrated names are rarely given in any other form: C. P. E. Bach, T. S. Eliot, P. G. Wodehouse. Check out a few that you might already know. Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get: By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions When letters make sounds that aren't associated w One goose, two geese. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. And yet there is something about the homogeneity of these definitions, their recourse to coddling clich, that makes critical race theory seem like just another version of a fluffier and more familiar three-word, Over the past few years, hes palled around with Bill Clinton, graced the cover of Fortune magazine, and turned himself into a three-letter, The outbreak which researchers call by its, The British punk rock poet debuts at No. acronym In text, use number when followed by a word, no. when followed by a numeral. real-time reverse transcription PCR aa (when followed by nym a-kr-nim. This makes it easy for users to recognise the shortened form in later content. WebExamples [ edit] Allegro: Allegro Low LEvel Game ROutines (early versions for Atari ST were called "Atari Low Level Game Routines") AROS: AROS Research Operating System (originally Amiga Research Operating System) ATI: ATI Technologies Inc. BIRD: BIRD Internet Routing Daemon CAVE: CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment YOLO means You only live once. Youve likely seen these acronyms in everyday life mixed in with common texting abbreviations. Acronym is a fairly recent word, dating from the 1940s, although acronyms existed long before we gave them that name. Click the icon to reveal any hidden columns. Well add the best acronyms to ADDucations acronyms list. or in. These include: Ifyou use the shortened form only a few times in long-form content, consider writing out the full term more than once. In instances when an abbreviation has become the de facto name, spelling out may cause confusion, particularly if the term appears only once. ), UK (when used as an adjective; write out when used as a noun), US (when used as an adjective; write out when used as a noun), vs. (can be abbreviated when used inside parentheses; otherwise, spell out). On certain occasions, you may prefer that everyone doesnt see all of the recipients of a message. Acronym. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acronym. (days of the week) Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., Jun., Jul., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. (months of the year) Ex. Technically, these are initialisms, which is a type of abbreviation. Kate Stone Lombardi: Take the League of Women Voters. ASIO [Australian Security Intelligence Organisation], ILSC [Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation], Its compulsory for certain businesses to have an Australian Business Number, Were continuing to manage the number of, It removes the requirement to use full stops with, Consistent with what was Content Guide advice, it recommends avoiding the use of, Consistent with the sixth edition, it does not use full stops with acronyms or initialisms, or. Like acronyms, initialisms are abbreviations created by using the first letters of each word in a phrase. If the acronym or initialism represents common nouns, dont begin each word of the full form with a capital letter. The acronym is then pronounced as the word or sound that these letters spell out.

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