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100 Examples of Abbreviations (with their meaning)
An abbreviation is a shortened graphical representation of a word or group of words through the removal of some letters or syllables. For example: art. (per item), chap. (per chapter), FF. AA. (Armed forces).
Most abbreviations end with a dot, although there are cases where slashes or flown numbers are used. For example: a/c (for on account), 3rd (for third).
To create an abbreviation, there are two procedures.
- Truncation. It is the deletion of one or more final letters of a word. These forms never end in a vowel. For example: p. (per page), cod. (by code).
- Contraction. It is about the deletion of central letters, so that only the most representative letters of the abbreviated word are preserved. For example: fca. (by factory), ms. (by manuscript).
Types of abbreviations
Any word can be abbreviated, but there is a distinction between the abbreviations accepted by a small group of people or those accepted in the general use of the language:
- personal abbreviations. They are those that each person uses in their own language and to communicate informally with other people, that is, in their private writing. For example: after. (for after), cel. (by cell phone), slds. (for greetings).
- conventional abbreviations. They are those that are endorsed and recognized by the speakers of an entire community and by the language academies. For example: vs. (for versus), Lic. (for graduate), fasc. (per issue).
It is worth mentioning that, in general, abbreviations are written with upper or lower case depending on the word or words being abbreviated. For example: am (ante merídiem), d. C. (after Christ), Bs. As. (Buenos Aires). However, this is a rule that has exceptions, as is the case with treatment formulas. For example: Ud. (you), Dr. (doctor), Mrs. (ma'am).
