acronym
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈæk.ɹə.nɪm/
Noun

acronym (plural acronyms)

  1. (linguistics) An abbreviation formed by the initial letters of other words, sometimes exclusively such abbreviations when pronounced as a word (as "laser") rather than as individual letters (initialisms such as "TNT").
    • 1940, W. Muir & al. translating L. Feuchtwanger's Paris Gazette, iii, xlvii, p. 518:
      Pee-gee-enn. It's an acronym, that's what it is. That's what they call words made up of initials.
    • 2014 September 23, "Choosing a Primary School: A Teacher's Guide for Parents ↗", The Guardian:
      Some teachers festoon every spare inch of wall with vocabulary choices or maths techniques to use, which look great at first, but to some children might appear quite daunting. You'll probably see unfamiliar acronyms such as Walt (We Are Learning To). Be sure to ask what they stand for and how they are used in practice.
  2. (linguistics) An abbreviation formed by the beginning letters or syllables of other words (as "Benelux").
    • 1950, Simeon Potter, ''Our Language, p. 163:
      Acronyms or telescoped names like nabisco from National Biscuit Company.
Synonyms Translations Translations Verb

acronym (acronyms, present participle acronyming; past and past participle acronymed)

  1. To form into an acronym



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