Acronym: meaning, definitions and examples

An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of a series of words, usually pronounced as a word itself.

• NASA is an acronym for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
• Scuba is an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.

An initialism is a type of abbreviation where the initial letters of a series of words are used, but each letter is pronounced separately.

• FBI is an initialism for Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• ATM is an initialism for Automated Teller Machine.

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, often used to save time and space.

• Dr. is an abbreviation for Doctor.
• St. is an abbreviation for Street.

Use 'acronym' when you talk about a word formed from the initial letters of a series of words.

• NASA is an acronym for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
• The acronym WHO stands for World Health Organization.

Use 'blend' when referring to a word formed by merging parts of two words together.

• 'Brunch' is a blend of 'breakfast' and 'lunch'.
• 'Smog' is a blend of 'smoke' and 'fog'.

This term is similar to 'blend' and refers to a word created by combining parts of two or more words. It often has a more formal or literary connotation.

• 'Motel' is a portmanteau of 'motor' and 'hotel'.
• 'Ginormous' is a portmanteau of 'gigantic' and 'enormous'.