Other forms: abbreviations
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word, like Dr for doctor. A common abbreviation, spell out the abbreviation, a list of abbreviations.
Strictly, a contraction keeps the last letter and takes no full stop in British style — Dr, Mr — while a true abbreviation cuts the end and traditionally does: etc., Prof. An acronym is a third thing, pronounced as a word. Note that the Latin means to shorten, from brevis.
1nounabbreviationA shortened form of a word.
“The form was full of abbreviations that I didn't understand.”
abbreviation is a shortened form.
Latin abbreviatio comes from ad plus breviare, to shorten, from brevis, short. Brief and abridge come from the same shortness.
Latin
ad
Ecclesiastical Latin
abbreviātiō
Middle French
abréviation
Middle English
abbreviacioun
English, today
abbreviation
Built from
First attested 1400–50. From Middle English abbreviacioun, from Middle French abréviation, from Ecclesiastical Latin abbreviātiō, from Latin ad + breviō (“shorten”), from brevis (“short”). by surface analysis, abbreviate + -ion.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA