Acronym: meaning, definitions and examples
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acronym
[ ˈækrəˌnɪm ]
abbreviation
A word formed from the initial letters of a multi-word name or phrase, usually using capital letters and pronounced as a single word. Acronyms are commonly used in various fields such as technology, business, and government.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
- FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
- UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)
linguistics
A word formed by combining parts of multiple words, where each part represents a letter or syllable, and the resulting word is pronounced as a new word. Acronyms are different from initialisms, as they are pronounced as full words.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- radar (radio detection and ranging)
- scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus)
- laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation)
Translations
Translations of the word "acronym" in other languages:
🇵🇹 acrônimo
🇮🇳 संक्षिप्ताक्षर
🇩🇪 Akronym
🇮🇩 akronim
🇺🇦 акронім
🇵🇱 akronim
🇯🇵 頭字語 (とうじご)
🇫🇷 acronyme
🇪🇸 acrónimo
🇹🇷 akronim
🇰🇷 두문자어
🇸🇦 اختصار
🇨🇿 akronym
🇸🇰 akronym
🇨🇳 首字母缩略词 (shǒuzìmǔ suōlüècí)
🇸🇮 akronim
🇮🇸 skammstöfun
🇰🇿 акроним
🇬🇪 აკრონიმი
🇦🇿 akronim
🇲🇽 acrónimo
Word origin
The term 'acronym' originated in the mid-20th century, combining the Greek words 'akron' (end) and 'onuma' (name) to describe a word formed from the initial letters of a multi-word name or phrase. Acronyms have become prevalent in modern language due to their efficiency in communication and are widely used in various sectors worldwide.