An acronym is a word composed of the first letters of the words in a phrase, especially when this is used as a name. An example of an acronym is 'NATO', which is made upof the first letters of the 'North Atlantic Treaty Organization'.
acronym in British English
(ˈækrənɪm)
noun
a pronounceable name made up of a series of initial letters or parts of words; for example, UNESCO for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
Derived forms
acronymic (ˌacroˈnymic) or acronymous (əˈkrɒnɪməs)
adjective
acronymically (ˌacroˈnymically)
adverb
Word origin
C20: from acro- + -onym
acronym in American English
(ˈækrəˌnɪm)
US
noun
a word formed from the first (or first few) letters of a series of words, as radar, from radio detecting and ranging
Derived forms
acronymic (ˌacroˈnymic)
adjective
Word origin
acro- + -onym
Examples of 'acronym' in a sentence
acronym
You have to get used to those acronyms.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The world of computing uses many acronyms.
Samways, B. & Byrne-Jones, T. Computers Basic Facts (1983)
No-one would actually use that many acronyms.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He said the acronyms used by the government were divisive.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The acronym stands for individual savings account and most people think of them as just that.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Too many companies hide their names behind dull acronyms or meaningless initials.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Why use four syllables saying the actual phrase when you can take up five syllables with another acronym?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Despite the use of acronyms and incomprehensible language, they can easily track the public conversations of these gang members.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
But the survey of 2,000 people found many do not know the meaning of common acronyms used in managing their money.
The Sun (2011)
We use acronyms, not rhymes.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Not another acronym to learn?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In fact, let's use an acronym instead.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
No, Fig is not another acronym.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
People are far more likely to invest in stock with easily pronounced names and neat acronyms than with investments that tax our brain's language circuits.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Its name is an acronym of'As seen on screen '.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
acronym
British English: acronym /ˈækrənɪm/ NOUN
An acronym is a word made of the initial letters of the words in a phrase, especially when this is the name of an organization such as NATO.
American English: acronym
Arabic: اِسْم مُخْتَصَر
Brazilian Portuguese: acrônimo
Chinese: 首字母缩写词
Croatian: akronim
Czech: akronym
Danish: akronym
Dutch: acroniem
European Spanish: acrónimo
Finnish: kirjainlyhenne
French: sigle
German: Akronym
Greek: αρκτικόλεξο
Italian: acronimo
Japanese: 頭字語
Korean: 두문자어
Norwegian: akronym
Polish: akronim
European Portuguese: acrónimo
Romanian: acronim
Russian: аббревиатура
Latin American Spanish: acrónimo
Swedish: akronym
Thai: ตัวย่อ
Turkish: kısaltma
Ukrainian: акронім
Vietnamese: từ viết tắt
Chinese translation of 'acronym'
acronym
(ˈækrənɪm)
n(c)
首字母缩(縮)略词(詞) (shǒuzìmǔ suōlüècí)
acronym (首字母缩略词)是一种特殊的缩写形式，它可以像一个普通单词那样读出。例如，NATO (北约)和 AIDS (艾滋病)。acronym 是由组成这个名称的每个词的第一个字母构成。NATO 代表 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (北大西洋公约组织)；AIDS 代表 acquired immune deficiency syndrome (获得性免疫缺损综合征)；DOS 代表 disk operating system (磁盘操作系统)。首字母缩略词比全称更常用，因为它们说起来更方便。