ab·bre·vi·a·tion

(ə-brē′vē-ā′shən)

1. The act or product of shortening.

2. A shortened form of a word or phrase used chiefly in writing to represent the complete form, such as Mass. for Massachusetts or USMC for United States Marine Corps.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

abbreviation

(əˌbriːvɪˈeɪʃən)

1. a shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase used in place of the whole

2. the process or result of abbreviating

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ab•bre•vi•a•tion

(əˌbri viˈeɪ ʃən)

n.

1. a shortened form of a word or phrase used to represent the whole, as Dr. for Doctor, U.S. for United States, NW for Northwest, ab. for about, ft. for foot, or lb. for pound.

2. an act or result of abbreviating; reduction in length, duration, etc.; abridgment.

[1400–50; late Middle English (< Middle French) < Late Latin]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	abbreviation - a shortened form of a word or phrase descriptor, form, signifier, word form - the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something; "the inflected forms of a word can be represented by a stem and a list of inflections to be attached" apocope - abbreviation of a word by omitting the final sound or sounds; "the British get `pud' from `pudding' by apocope" appro - an informal British abbreviation of approval; "he accepted it on appro"
	2.	abbreviation - shortening something by omitting parts of it shortening - act of decreasing in length; "the dress needs shortening"

abbreviation

noun shortening, reduction, résumé, trimming, summary, contraction, compression, synopsis, précis, abridgment The postal abbreviation for Kansas is KS.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

إخْتِصَاراِخْتِصار

абревиатура

zkratkazkrácení

forkortelse

Abkürzung Kurzbezeichnung Kürzel Kurzform Abbreviation

συντομογραφία

mallongigo

abreviatura abreviación

lyhennelyhennelmälyhennöslyhennyslyhennysmerkki

abréviation sigle

kraticaabrevijacija

rövidítés

styttingskammstöfun

abbreviazione

略語省略短縮略略字

약어

afkorting verkorting

forkortelse forkorting

skrót

abreviação abreviatura

аббревиатура сокращение

okrajšava

förkortning

อักษรย่อ

kısaltma

chữ viết tắt

縮寫缩写式缩略语

abbreviation

[əˌbriːvɪˈeɪʃən] N

1. (= short form) → abreviatura f

2. (= act of shortening) → abreviación f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

abbreviation

[əˌbriːviˈeɪʃ^ən] n → abréviation f
an abbreviation for sth, an abbreviation of sth → une abréviation pour qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

abbreviation

n (of word, title) → Abkürzung f; (of book, speech) → Verkürzung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

abbreviation

[əˌbriːvɪˈeɪʃ/ən] n → abbreviazione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

abbreviate

(əˈbriːvieit) verb

to shorten (a word, phrase etc). Frederick is often abbreviated to Fred.

abˌbreviˈation noun

a shortened form of a word etc. Maths is an abbreviation of mathematics.

abbreviation

→ اِخْتِصار zkratka forkortelse Abkürzung συντομογραφία abreviatura lyhenne abréviation kratica abbreviazione 略語 약어 afkorting forkortelse skrót abreviação, abreviatura сокращение förkortning อักษรย่อ kısaltma chữ viết tắt 缩略语

abbreviation

n. abreviación, abreviatura.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

It was so in the Pequod with the little negro Pippin by nick-name, Pip by abbreviation. Poor Pip!

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Father Kelly, the priest, had found the name of the Spanish maker on the sword and an abbreviation that stood for the city of Cordova.

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I have it now before me; and though you could not, of course, peruse it with half the interest that I did, I know you would not be satisfied with an abbreviation of its contents, and you shall have the whole, save, perhaps, a few passages here and there of merely temporary interest to the writer, or such as would serve to encumber the story rather than elucidate it.

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'Well, but you know, miss,' said Phoebe, for which name 'Phib' was used as a patronising abbreviation, 'if she was only to take copy by a friend--oh!

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A careless abbreviation of requiescat in pace , attesting to indolent goodwill to the dead.

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Among these, the most formidable was a burly, roaring, roystering blade, of the name of Abraham, or, according to the Dutch abbreviation, Brom Van Brunt, the hero of the country round which rang with his feats of strength and hardihood.

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"It is the archaeological and lapidarial abbreviation of the name of a town, my good friend; I looked it out in Malte-Brun: Goritz, in Latin Gorixia, situated in Bohemia or Hungary, or it may be Austria--"

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The old prince, now and then using abbreviations, wrote in his large elongated hand on blue paper as follows:

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You'd expect, probably a cipher, certainly abbreviations; most certainly scientific and strictly professional terms.

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But even he struggles with the many abbreviations that make up modern communication.

David Attenborough is not the only person baffled by text speak - here's a guide; The Blue Planet and Dynasties narrator, 92, revealed he has to ask his granddaughters about abbreviations

The police announced the final result based on the results of a three-round selection process.The public again had the opportunity to choose the new abbreviation.

What will the new abbreviation for car licence plates in Bratislava be?

When you don't understand a trendy abbreviation, it is hard to ask what it means, as one doesn't want to appear ignorant and out of touch, though many social media encourage you to AMA (ask me anything)

Deciphering abbreviations: a spaghetti of letters