Dictionary

abbreviation en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˌbɹi.viˈeɪ.ʃn̩/ (General-American)
• /əˌbɹiː.viˈeɪ.ʃən/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

First attested 1400–50. From Middle English abbreviacioun, from Middle French abreviation, from Ecclesiastical Latin abbreviātiō, from Latin ad + breviō (“shorten”), from brevis (“short”). By surface analysis, abbreviate + -ion.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The result of shortening or reducing; abridgment.
2. (countable, uncountable) A shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase used to represent the whole, using omission of letters, and sometimes substitution of letters, or duplication of initial letters to signify plurality, including signs such as +, =, @.
   • Americans, for example, call newcomers to Antarctica “fingies”, which comes from FNGs – a borrowed military abbreviation that means “Fucking New Guy”. 2024 June 20, Eva Corlett, “Fidlets, fingies and riding a doo: study sheds light on Antarctic English slang”, in The Guardian:
   • Hants is an abbreviation of Hampshire.
3. (countable, uncountable) The process of abbreviating.
4. (countable, uncountable) A notation used in music score to denote a direction, as pp or mf.
5. (countable, uncountable) One or more dashes through the stem of a note, dividing it respectively into quavers, semiquavers, demisemiquavers, or hemidemisemiquavers.
6. (countable, uncountable) Any convenient short form used as a substitution for an understood or inferred whole.
   • The phrase "civil rights" is an abbreviation for a whole complex of relationships. 1946-1947, Harry S. Truman, President Truman's committee on Civil Rights:
7. (countable, uncountable) Loss during evolution of the final stages of the ancestral ontogenetic pattern.
8. (countable, uncountable) Reduction to lower terms, as a fraction.

Forms

Antonyms

expatiation · production · extension · expansion · dilation · amplification · enlargement

Deriveds

unabbreviation · graphic abbreviation · syllabic abbreviation · abbreviationitis

Hyponyms

m (omitting several letters) · s (omitting several letters) · clipping (omitting several letters) · l (omitting several letters) · n (omitting several letters) · r (omitting several letters) · g (omitting several letters) · i (omitting several letters) · o (omitting several letters) · t (omitting several letters) · p (omitting several letters) · acronym · e (omitting several letters) · y (omitting several letters) · h (omitting several letters) · k (omitting several letters) · a (omitting several letters) · symbol (omitting several letters)

Synonyms

condensation · shortcut · reduction · compend · summary · contraction · abridgement · compression · abstract · curtailment · abbreviature · epitome

Translations (214)

cmn 略語 /略语 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nn forkorting (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nl afkorting (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · gd giorrachadh (abridged version of a document) · sv förkortning (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · mt abbrevjazzjoni (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sh kràtica (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · be абрэвіяту́ра (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · vi bài tóm tắt (abridged version of a document) · lt santrumpa (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · it riassunto (abridged version of a document) · cs zkratka (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · lv abreviatūra (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sl okrajšava (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · af verkorting (act or result of shortening or reducing) · mhr аббревиаций (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · be скарачэ́нне (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ru сокраще́ние (act or result of shortening or reducing) · el βραχυγραφία (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ja 略称 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sv förkortning (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · bg скъсяване (act or result of shortening or reducing) · es abreviación (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ar اِخْتِصَار (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ms penyingkatan (act or result of shortening or reducing) · crh qısqartma (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · kk аббревиатура (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · tr kısaltma (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · id singkatan (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · pl skrócenie (act or result of shortening or reducing) · grc ἀποκοπή (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ia abbreviation (act or result of shortening or reducing) · arz اختصار (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · az ixtisar (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · af verkorting (abridged version of a document) · kk қысқарған сөз (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nb abbreviatur (music: a notation used in music score to denote a direction) · io abreviuro (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ja 略語 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · pl skracanie (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · cy byrfodd (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · lv saīsinājums (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · az abbreviatura (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ta சுருக்கம் (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · pl abrewiatura (music: one or more dashes through the stem of a note) · ms singkatan (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sk skratka (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · he ראשי תיבות (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · fi lyhenne (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · pt abreviação (act or result of shortening or reducing) · nb abbreviering (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ko 요약본 (abridged version of a document) · te సంక్షేపం (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · kw berrheans (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ro abreviație (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · af verkorting (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · es abreviación (act or result of shortening or reducing) · mhr аббревиатур (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sw kifupisho (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · de Abbreviation (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · udm вакчиятон (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · af afkorting (act or result of shortening or reducing) · dsb krotceńka (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ka აბრევიატურა (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · km ពាក្យកាត់ (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · mt abbrevjazzjoni (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ur مُخَفَّف (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · de Zusammenfassung (abridged version of a document) · id abreviasi (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sh kràtica (act or result of shortening or reducing) · id penyingkatan (act or result of shortening or reducing) · rgn abreviaziôn (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · bg абревиатура (music: one or more dashes through the stem of a note) · ja 約分 (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · cs zkrácení (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ru сокраще́ние (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · pl skrót (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · lb Ofkierzung (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ru уреза́ние (act or result of shortening or reducing) · pl redukcja (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · bg абревиатура (music: a notation used in music score to denote a direction) · et lühend (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · lt sutrumpinimas (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · fy ôfkoarting (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · el συντόμευση (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sh skrȃćenica (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ro abreviere (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · de Kürzel (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nb forkortelse (act or result of shortening or reducing) · fi lyhennysmerkki (music: one or more dashes through the stem of a note) · io abrevio (act or result of shortening or reducing) · vo brefod (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · tl pagdadaglat (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · hy կրճատում (act or result of shortening or reducing) · cmn 簡寫 /简写 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nb abbreviatur (music: one or more dashes through the stem of a note) · pl skrótowiec (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ta சுருக்கம் (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ru аббревиату́ра (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sv förkortande (act or result of shortening or reducing) · it abbreviazione (music: one or more dashes through the stem of a note) · sv förkortning (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ja 略 (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ga giorrúchán (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · be скарачэ́ньне (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nb forkorting (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ko 약분 (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · nb abbreviasjon (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · bg абревиату́ра (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · el σύντμηση (act or result of shortening or reducing) · nb forkortelse (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · pt abreviatura (act or result of shortening or reducing) · la abbreviātiō (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ga nod (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · he רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nn forkorting (act or result of shortening or reducing) · hu rövidítés (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · hy հապավում (act or result of shortening or reducing) · gd giorrachadh (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · fi lyhennös (act or result of shortening or reducing) · pt abreviação (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · de Abbreviatur (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · it acronimo (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · vi sự rút ngắn (act or result of shortening or reducing) · sh abrevijácija (act or result of shortening or reducing) · el συντομογραφία (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · th อักษรย่อ (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ko 축약 (act or result of shortening or reducing) · it abbreviazione (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ja 略 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · eu laburdura (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · pt abreviatura (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · dsb skrotconka (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sh abrevijácija (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · hsb skrótšenka (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · vi sự ước lược (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · uk скоро́чення (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nb oppsummering (abridged version of a document) · el σύντμηση (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sh абревија́ција (act or result of shortening or reducing) · az qısaltma (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · oc abreviacion (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · fi lyhentäminen (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ta சுருக்கம் (abridged version of a document) · th ตัวย่อ (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · da forkortelse (act or result of shortening or reducing) · is skammstöfun (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · cmn 縮寫 /缩写 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · fi lyhennelmä (act or result of shortening or reducing) · mk кратенка (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · fi lyhennys (act or result of shortening or reducing) · nb sammendrag (abridged version of a document) · it abbreviatura (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ko 약자 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · uk абревіату́ра (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · gl abreviatura (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ko 약어 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nb abbreviatur (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · de Abkürzung (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · vi viết tắt (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · da forkortelse (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nl afkorting (act or result of shortening or reducing) · hi संक्षिप्तीकरण (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · id abreviasi (act or result of shortening or reducing) · de Abstract (abridged version of a document) · de Kurzform (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sl kratica (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ka შემოკლება (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · de Kurzbezeichnung (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · nb forkorting (act or result of shortening or reducing) · bg съкращаване (act or result of shortening or reducing) · sh абревија́ција (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · bg съкращаване (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · vo brefükam (act or result of shortening or reducing) · fo stytting (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · hy համառոտում (act or result of shortening or reducing) · mk скратеница (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · is stytting (music: one or more dashes through the stem of a note) · ko 생략 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sh скра̑ћеница (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · vi sự tóm tắt (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ga giorrú (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ja 省略 (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · gd giorrachadh (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ja 短縮 (act or result of shortening or reducing) · it abbreviazione (act or result of shortening or reducing) · nl verkorting (act or result of shortening or reducing) · nn abbreviatur (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · cs krácení (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · vi sự rút gọn (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · sh кра̀тица (act or result of shortening or reducing) · bg съкраще́ние (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ks ژھۆٹرَن (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ja 省略 (act or result of shortening or reducing) · el σύνοψη (abridged version of a document) · de Abkürzung (act or result of shortening or reducing) · hy հապավում (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · mhr кӱчыкемдымаш (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · sh кра̀тица (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ca abreviatura (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · cmn 約分 /约分 (mathematics: reduction to lower terms) · ro prescurtare (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · af afkorting (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ast abreviatura (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · ro abreviere (act or result of shortening or reducing) · is stytting (act or result of shortening or reducing) · cmn 縮寫 /缩写 (act or result of shortening or reducing) · de Kürzen (act or result of shortening or reducing) · mi poronga (act or result of shortening or reducing) · la abbreviātiō (act or result of shortening or reducing) · ru аббревиа́ция (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · eo mallongigo (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · fr abréviation (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase) · th คำย่อ (shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase)