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"acronym"

By Richard Nordquist, About.com

Definition:

A word formed from the initial letters of a name (for example, NATO, from North Atlantic Treaty Organization) or by combining initial letters of a series of words (radar, from radio detection and ranging).

Etymology:

From the Greek, "point" + "name"

Examples and Observations:

  • "There is only one known pre-20th-century word with an acronymic origin . . .: colinderies or colinda, an acronym for the Colonial and Indian Exposition (1886)." (David Wilton, Word Myths, 2004)

  • "The pronunciation of letter acronyms has encouraged two tendencies in abbreviation: to omit points (NATO rather than N.A.T.O.; to use lower-case letters (radar rather than RADAR). As a result, an acronym may become so fully a word that its letter-based origin ceases to signify or be remembered, as with radar."
    (Tom McArthur, ed., The Oxford Companion to the English Language)

  • "I have a couple of lists that I can refer to throughout the day, but I don't have the official 'FAT' book yet. Yes, it really is called the FAT (Federal Acronym and Terms) book."
    (John Scales)

  • ABBA: The name of this 1970s Swedish pop group was derived from the first names of the group's members: Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid.

  • BOMFOG: from the initial letters in "Brotherhood Of Man, Fatherhood Of God." First used by journalists to refer to a familiar theme in Nelson Rockefeller's campaign speeches; now refers to pious blather of any kind.

  • KISS: from the initial letters in "Keep It Simple, Stupid"--advice commonly given to speakers and writers.

  • POTUS: from the initial letters in "President of the United States."

  • Snafu: "Situation normal: all fouled up"--a U.S. Army acronym going back to World War II.

  • "Re-branding FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) doesn't fix the problem; it just puts a new acronym on it."
    (David Marin)

Pronunciation: AK-ri-nimAudio Link

Also Known As: protogram

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