abbreviation

noun
UK: /əˌbriːviˈeɪʃən/
US: /əˌbriːviˈeɪʃən/

  1. A shortened form of a word or phrase used to represent the whole.

    1. “St.” is an abbreviation for “Street”. [ ] [ ]
    2. The abbreviation 'ASAP' is commonly used in business communication to indicate urgency. [ ] [ ]

  2. The process or result of shortening something.

    1. Abbreviations save space on forms and in documents. [ ] [ ]
    2. Using an abbreviation for a complex term can improve the readability of the document, but it must be defined at first use. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

shortening acronym contraction initialism

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "abbreviation" in English means: A shortened form of a word or phrase used to represent the whole., The process or result of shortening something..

The phonetic transcription of "abbreviation" is /əˌbriːviˈeɪʃən/ in British English and /əˌbriːviˈeɪʃən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "abbreviation": shortening, acronym, contraction, initialism.

Example usage of "abbreviation": "“St.” is an abbreviation for “Street”.". More examples on the page.