Basic Details
Word: Abbreviation
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A shortened form of a word or phrase, such as Dr for Doctor or km for kilometre.
Synonyms: short form, contraction
Word origin: From Latin abbreviare, to shorten, built on brevis, short.
How to Spell Abbreviation
Syllables: ab - bre - vi - a - tion
Tricky part: The double b at the start is the usual casualty: students hear one b and write abreviation. The vi in the middle is also squeezed out in fast speech, giving abbrevation.
Watch out for: abreviation, abbrevation, abbreviasion
Memory tip: Hidden inside is brevi, a cousin of brief. Write the prefix ab, then brevi: the b that ends ab meets the b that starts brevi, so you get bb.
Usage Examples
Example 1: ISRO is the abbreviation of Indian Space Research Organisation.
Example 2: Our English teacher marks us down for abbreviations like pls and thx in essays.
Example 3: On the railway timetable, the abbreviation Dep. means the time the train leaves.
Fun Fact
The everyday abbreviation e.g. stands for the Latin exempli gratia, meaning for the sake of example, while i.e. stands for id est, meaning that is.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
a_bre_iat_on
a) b, v, e
b) b, f, i
c) b, v, i
d) p, v, i
Show answer
c) b, v, i. Ab plus brevi gives the double b, and the ending is the familiar -iation of variation.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. puntuation 2. abbreviation 3. paragraf 4. pronounciation
a) the marks such as commas and full stops used in writing
b) a group of sentences that deal with one idea
c) a shortened form of a word or phrase
d) the way in which a word is spoken
Show answer
c) a shortened form of a word or phrase. Pronunciation drops the o of pronounce, punctuation needs a c and paragraph ends in ph, so abbreviation is the only correct spelling.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word abbreviation as used in the sentence:
The note on the fridge used the abbreviation appt for the word appointment.
a) signature
b) short form
c) full form
d) translation
Show answer
b) short form. Appt is simply a short form of appointment.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The doctor's prescription was full of one tricky vtaibrnoeiba after another.
a) observation
b) aberration
c) abbreviating
d) abbreviation
Show answer
d) abbreviation. Only abbreviation uses both b's, the v and the -tion ending with nothing left over.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is an abbreviation?
a) morning
b) Mondays
c) Mon
d) Monday
Show answer
c) Mon
2. People use abbreviations mainly to ____.
a) change a word's meaning
b) show that a word is foreign
c) make words sound polite
d) save space and time
Show answer
d) save space and time
