In today's fast-paced environment, abbreviations make communicating much easier. They save time, space, and effort. In English, common abbreviations in conversations, emails, and text messages can, however, stump even the most confident speaker– particularly when individual letters merge to form abbreviation groups such as UFO, POS, and CIA. From the abbreviation for miscellaneous to ASAP, abbreviations have become an integral part of our language.
Here, we'll be exploring 50+ English abbreviations you'll encounter daily, whether in popular culture, academically, abbreviations at work, or on your mobile phone. By the end, the approximately abbreviation (approx.) will seem like an absolute breeze to grasp. So let's dive in!
Acronyms are made by taking the first individual letter of each word in a sentence, like NASA for "National Aeronautics and Space Administration" or ISO for "International Standardization Organization." Acronyms always use capital letters.
Another common type of abbreviation is an initialism, where you take the first letter of each word, but each is pronounced letter by letter.
Abbreviations can be used to shorten (get rid of) the endings or the beginning of a word. Some are so commonly used that we often forget it comes from a longer word.
Contractions are where English speakers remove letters from the middle of a word.
Abbreviations and acronyms are shortened versions of phrases and words, but there are a few key differences between the two.
An abbreviation is a shortened version of any word or phrase; for example, Dr. is an abbreviation for Doctor.
Acronyms, on the other hand, are a type of abbreviation where the initial letters are pronounced aloud as one word; for example, FOMO is the acronym for fear of missing out.
It's important to remember that not all English abbreviations are acronyms, but all acronyms are types of abbreviations.
Abbreviations are very common! Here is a list of American abbreviations for business, daily life, academia, and common text abbreviations.
Our lives are full of shortened words without even realizing it. Whether you're in a work meeting, having a quick chat with a friend, sending an SMS message abbreviation to a friend, or walking out and about–here's a list of common abbreviations to get familiar with.
Country abbreviations are widely used to represent the names of different countries worldwide- useful for standardizing. Here is a small sample of two-letter common country abbreviations from the ISO 3166 Alpha 2 standard, as well as common codes for worldwide organizations.
Some of the most commonly used academic abbreviations are connected to the degree level or type of study, including degree abbreviations that are said aloud using individual letters.
Need help understanding business abbreviations or your boss when he tells you he just hired a new CMO or CFO?
Looking for the abbreviation for miscellaneous? It's misc. And it refers to random things or items that can't be easily classified into a collective category or group. An example would be that box of assorted items you "promised" to sort out three years ago. With that in mind, here is a list of misc. Abbreviations.
No one has time to fully write out anything anymore, so with technology comes a new wave of common texting abbreviations we've fully embraced into our daily lives, often without realizing it. Here is a list of texts, chats, and social media that you can use online. Most of the following abbreviations are pronounced as individual letters.
Got a question? See if we've answered it here.
What's the abbreviation for miscellaneous?
What is the abbreviation for approximately?
Is LOL an acronym or abbreviation?
What does, "i.e.," stand for, and how do I use it in a sentence?
What is the difference between "e.g.," and "i.e.,"?
Looking for more lists of abbreviations or acronyms? Dive into the links below, where we've got a comprehensive list of abbreviations for all the American states and much more!