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). 2. Acronyms vs. Initialisms: Whats the Difference? Type above and press Enter to search. Technically, these are initialisms, which is a type of abbreviation. EtymologyFrom the Latin, "standing at the beginning". Bcc and Cc are initialisms that you will see as options in your email program. Use subscript "t". ), RNA, DNA, cDNA, mRNA, tRNA, or rDNA (Note: c, complementary; m, messenger; t, transfer; r, ribosomal). 'UNICEF' is an acronym. This makes it easy for users to recognise the shortened form in later content. (American style) Mr Green asked Ms Grey if she had met Dr Jekyl. Any opinions expressed in the examples do not Medicine Initialisms. Its kind of an extension of the last episode, because I want to clarify the difference between abbreviations and acronyms. Initialism Examples These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. 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. and cf. In long titles, the following abbreviations can be used without being spelled out, provided the terms are spelled out in the Abstract or, for letters, in the first paragraph. Its a word comprised of the first initials of the other words, which is then pronounced as its own word. Are you interested in taking part in Style Manual user research? Initialism Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster Words in English: Types of Word Formation WebAbbreviations are shortened forms of a written word, phrase or name used in place of the whole, for example: Dr. for Doctor, Mr. for Mister, gym for gymnastics, ' Tim ' for Timothy, p.s. STI : a countercurrents series, Current Oncology, 23(5):295296, doi:10.3747/co.23.3122. You can review and change the way we collect information below. (vs. number) . 2023. The following are used without spelling out on first mention (list not comprehensive). Well add the best acronyms to ADDucations acronyms list. Examples of initialisms include ASAP (As soon as possible), OED (Oxford English Dictionary), FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). What is the difference between an acronym and an initialism? We cannot reply to individual questions and requests for help. Please tell us a bit more about yourself. But what exactly do they mean? Acronyms and initialisms are two types of abbreviation that typically consist of the first letter of each word in a phrase. When you use this kind of acronym, you should treat it like a regular word by writing it in lowercase letters. WebExamples of initialisms are: DVD - Digital Versatile Disc CD - Compact Disc ATM - Automated (or Automatic) Teller Machine BRB - Be Right Back NMHU - Not Much Use the shortened form rather than the full term for later mentions. 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 List Abbreviations can be shortened forms of any kind. The exception is if the shortened form ends a sentence and isnt followed by another punctuation mark. Include them with their spelt-out forms in the glossary. 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. Initialisms are abbreviations that are pronounced one letter at a time. nucleotide Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! Check out our earlier blog post for more info on using articles with acronyms and initialisms. Why? Examples include scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) and gif (graphics interchange format). Differences Between an Initialism and an Acronym. Examples: NOW (National Organization of Women) US or U.S., USA or U.S.A. (United States) WebThese are also examples of common initialisms, because the letters dont form a word. CDC twenty four seven. Avoid excessive abbreviations. WebFor example, FBI is an initialism of Federal Bureau of Investigation; TMI is an initialism of too much information. Yes! See the section on Acronym Use with Virus Names. LMK means Let me know. Email: contact@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email. A new word formed by joining the start of one word with the end of another. Wodehouse) making the spacingexactly like that used in initialisms. Kate Stone Lombardi: Take the League of Women Voters. 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. If youre learning English, youve probably noticed that it comes with quite a few rules As the old rule goes, a noun is a person, place, or thing. But did English has eight types of pronouns, and relative pronouns are one of them. 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 Any shortened form of a word is an abbreviation, for example, etc. The name of the famous Swedish pop group combines the first initial of its members namesAgnetha, Bjrn, Benny, and Anni-Frid. LMFAO means Laughing my freaking *a* off. IKR means I know, right. Check out the list to see some common abbreviations that you might use everyday. To truly understand the difference between an initialism and acronym, you can look at examples of each in business, medicine and politics/government. I. (over 195,000 definitions) Examples: ALA, ANWB, BBB, IEEE, MoMA, NEA , UCLA, UN, WTO Slang & Pop Culture Acronyms are often associated with their use in certain fields that use a lot of technical terms, like science, tech, and the military. One moose, two moose. Initialism Kelly Kuehn is an associate editor for Readers Digest covering entertainment, trivia and history. 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! If understood by users, they can make content easier to use. Initialisms and acronyms are no different. opens in a new windowEveryday Acronyms. Some specific examples follow: amino acid Big businesses might use acronyms to make them stand out or just to shorten a long name. Initialism - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Initial letter." Abbreviate the following in tables, figures, and in the Methods section of research articles. Use STI for sexually transmitted infection but not for soft tissue infection (SSTI okay for skin and soft tissue infection). All acronyms are abbreviations, but not all abbreviations are acronyms. Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. If they used an acronym or initialism, quote it. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about initialism. 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. When writing out affiliations, use the official spelling, which may or may not be American spelling. When preparing content for well-established publications, such as professional journals, look at the author guidelines and examples of the content. We'll use your email address you provided in feedback above to invite you to participate in user research. There are millions of common abbreviations used every day, including: St. or Ave. (instead of Street or Avenue) Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Fri., Sat., and Sun. Funny Check out how acronyms compare to initialisms. Acronym However, there are various exceptions to this rulefor example, substances (e.g., LSD) and medical conditions (e.g., RSI). In most cases, initialisms are preceded by an article (i.e., a, an, or the). You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. 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. As always, this is Grammar Girl, striving to be your friendly guide in the writing world. Latin abbreviations, such as etc. Theme music by Joshua Stamper 2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP. SI units used with a numeral are never spelled out. Acronyms and initialisms are shortened forms. What is the difference between an acronym and an initialism? Initialisms are a common component of both official and conversational English. One moose, two moose. Spell nucleotide when followed by words; abbreviate nt without definition when followed by numbers (absolute or percentage). For some more entertaining abbreviations, check out our list of funny acronyms. Write the term in full first and follow with the acronym or initialism in parentheses. The Difference Between an Acronym and ADDucations acronyms list A-Z includes examples of acronyms which have become so popular that the original abbreviation, Latin or wordplay is often forgotten. Examples include. WebFewer examples The plural of an initialism is the initialism plus s. DVD was originally used as an initialism for the unofficial term digital videodisk. WebAbbreviations and Initialisms Not Spelled Out in Text and Titles The following are used without spelling out on first mention (list not comprehensive). Acronyms and initialisms might also be misread by screen readers. Abbreviate Street when part of address, with no period. Pam Peters: The practice of using initials to represent given names has been more common in Europe than in America or Australia. 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. 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:. Grammar: Abbreviations and Acronyms Nordquist, Richard. Initialisms are featured in politics, corporate branding, scientific and medical terminology, and casual conversation alike. These include: Ifyou use the shortened form only a few times in long-form content, consider writing out the full term more than once. 2023. nym a-kr-nim. Privacy Policy. Cherry). Our research shows that acronym is commonly used to refer to both types of abbreviations. For example, appt is an abbreviation of appointment, and ASAP is an abbreviation of as soon as possible. real-time reverse transcription PCR The sixth edition included and sometimes other letters in its definitions for acronyms and initialisms. WebExamples: ACL, DNA, HEPA, LASER, MRI, PTFE, SSRI, TIA, TENS, VOC Organizations & Schools Local, national, and international organizations, schools, colleges, universities, education, non-profits, NGOs, etc. WebAcronyms are a subtype of initialism. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. Abbreviation While youll find initialisms a plenty, acronyms are right in the thick of it too. Btb Translation Bureau (n.d.) 1: abbreviations, The Canadian style, Btb Translation Bureau website, accessed 4 May 2020. 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. These terms may also be used in running heads. blend. Abbreviations vs. Acronyms vs. Initialisms - The Blue Book of 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. Abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms Show the full term in square brackets if users might not recognise the term or if you havent already explained it. The acronym is then pronounced as the word or sound that these letters spell out. In short: An abbreviation is when a phrase or word is shortened to a word or letters. Rather than using acronyms or initialisms, it can be easier for people if you: This is usually more useful to non-specialist users. WebAn initialism for Consumer Value Store DARE: Drug Abuse Resistance Education: Epcot: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow: FIFA: Fdration Internationale de SMH means Shaking my head. Now, its time for acronyms. We recommend our users to update the browser. After this post, we hope you feel confident about using acronyms and initialisms in your writing. Initialisms are made from the first letter (or letters) of a string of words, but cant be pronounced as words themselves. 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. You use it when you want to send a message not only to the main addressee but also to other interested parties. While not as common in some areas, you can find acronyms all over the board or world for that matter. Check out a few that you might already know. POTUS President of the United States 2. Consult a dictionary if youre unsure of the capitalisation. Pingback: Best 17 What Is Initialism - Mitadoor ng Nai, Listeners to my Savvy Psychologist podcast really seemed to respond to my boundary episodes. What exactly is an acronym? PIN Personal Identification Number How to use acronyms in a sentence? YOLO means You only live once. aa (when followed by numbers [absolute or percentage]), BCG (but at first mention specify Mycobacterium bovis BCG), bp, kb, kbp (when used with a numeral, but spell out when not used with a numeral), BSE (can be used in the title if "bovine spongiform encephalopathy" is used in the abstract or, for letters, in the first paragraph of the text; can be used in the running head), CSIRO (The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the national government body for scientific research in Australia), DNA, RNA, cDNA, mRNA, tRNA, or rDNA (Note: c, complementary; m, messenger; t, transfer; r, ribosomal), EMBL (European Molecular Biology Nucleotide Sequence Database), F, M (male, female; use abbreviations in tables and figures only; write out in text), kbp, kb, and bp (when used with a numeral, but spell out when not used with a numeral), M, F (male, female; use abbreviations in tables and figures only; write out in text), PCR (Also see reverse transcription PCR and real-time reverse transcription PCR in the section above. Start typing in the Filter table box to find anything inside this acronyms list. ABC123. An acronym is a kind of abbreviation. Allan M. Siegal and William G. Connolly: Although full first names with middle initials (if any) are preferred in most copy, two or more initials may be used if that is the preference of the person mentioned: L.P. Arniotis, with athin space between initials. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You can also upload a document to get an instant quote. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Both of these types of abbreviations are typically written in capital letters without punctuation unless your style guide says otherwise. Initialisms in government are so common that theyve coined their own joke: alphabet soup. The use of initialisms in politics around the world reflects a shared need to save time and space without losing specificity. Viruses Or, it could be shortened to its first letters like NRA for the National Rifle Association. Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get: By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions Acronym Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster Learn a new word every day. Include A List If Content Relies on Many Acronyms and Initialisms Delivered to your inbox! Acronyms are only useful when everyone understands (or doesnt need to understand) what they stand for otherwise its jargon. However, articles are often omitted in front of abbreviations. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/what-is-an-initialism-1691173. If the term is used >3 times, the abbreviation rRT-PCR can be used. Nordquist, Richard. If the term is used >3 times, the abbreviation RT-PCR can be used. Acronyms are usually all capitals, but use lower case for some familiar acronyms (taser,captcha, laser). Acronyms and initialisms | Wordy 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 Content Design London (2019) Abbreviations and acronyms, Content Design London readability guidelines, Content Design London website, accessed 30 March 2020. This will show whether using acronyms and initialisms is appropriate and, if so, which shortened forms are used. are common in academic writing. There are JEEP - Just Expect Every Problem. NASA, on the other hand, is an acronym because even though it is also made up of the first letters of the department name (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), it is pronounced as a word, NASA, and not by spelling out the letters N, A, S, A. But, what is the difference between an acronym and initialism? SOB Seth Stevenson: In 1985, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network became just ESPN, with no reference to the original meaning. Click the icon to reveal any hidden columns. Initialisms Required fields are marked *. 'ACLU' is an initialism. Popular chat and text messaging abbreviations, Originated from the name of the Adidas sportswear founder, Latin translation of the German company founders name, Isnt an acronym for photofit but the name of the computer program, Named after the Swedish founders of clothing chain. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus, An initialism for American Telephone and Telegraph, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, Fdration Internationale de Football Association, Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnary. Acronyms and initialisms | Style Manual For When 'Lowdown Crook' Isn't Specific Enough. No. Oxford University Press (2016) 10: Abbreviations and symbols, New Oxford style manual, Oxford University Press, Oxford. List of acronyms and initialisms - Simple English Wikipedia, the initialism Abbreviations are just words or phrases that are shortened. 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. For content with many specialised acronyms and initialisms, provide a glossary a list of terms and their meaning that users can refer to. STFU means Shut the *freak* up. People could come across the shortened form without reading the text where it is first defined. Youve now walked into the fun world of abbreviations. Like acronyms, initialisms are abbreviations created by using the first letters of each word in a phrase. B. Cherry ( not A.B. 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." HOLDEN - Hope Our Luck Doesn't End Now. I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. Acronyms are commonly used to create memorable names for brands, organizations and groups of people who regularly use the same phrases like the military. Top Parental Control Software WebThese examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'initialism.' Initial letter. OK is technically an acronym. opens in a new windowDictionary.com entry for Initialism