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some very common abbreviations

Here are some very common abbreviations. More often than not, we do not stop to think what they mean.

  • AD – Anno Domini – used to mark time that comes after the commonly accepted beginning of the Christian era.
    Usage: The ancient city was founded in 125 AD.
  • AI – Artificial Intelligence – used for robots, etc.
    Usage:Several professors at our university have been researching AI for many years.
  • aka – Also Known As.
    Usage: We went to see James Smith aka The Bulldozer wrestle.
  • AM – Ante Meridiem – the Latin word which means before noon.
    Usage: I always get up at 7:00 AM.
  • DIY – Do-It-Yourself
    Usage: I went to a DIY store and bought the materials to build a bed.
  • DNA – DeoxyriboNucleic Acid – the main constituent of the chromosomes of all organisms.
    Usage: My university has spent a lot of money in the study of DNA.
  • e.g. – Exempli Gratia – the Latin which means for example.
    Usage: The company has many factories around the world - e.g. Italy, Mexico, and Korea.
  • ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival.
    Usage: "What will your ETA be when you return home next month?"
  • FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions.
    Usage: The website had much information in the FAQ section.
  • GMT – Greenwich Mean Time – Greenwich is a place in England which is used as the standard for time around the world.
    Usage: The rocket will be launched at 10:00 AM tomorrow GMT.
  • i.e. – id est – from Latin with the meaning of "that is to say" or "in other words".
    Usage: The meeting starts at 8:00 PM - i.e. we cannot be late.
  • MC – Master of Ceremonies.
    Usage: My cousin was the MC for my sister's wedding.
  • MP3 – MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 – a method to compress digital audio.
    Usage: The students listened to their MP3 players as they worked in the computer lab.
  • N/A – Not Applicable (often found on a survey or questionnaire).
    Usage: I wrote down N/A for many questions on the survey.
  • NB – Nota Bene – Latin for take notice or note well.
    Usage: Our teacher told us to memorize the information in our text that is marked NB.
  • PhD – Doctor of Philosophy.
    Usage: After receiving his PhD in history my friend got a job at a university.
  • PM – Post Meridiem – Latin for afternoon.
    Usage: The meeting started at exactly 1:00 PM.
  • RSVP – Repondez S'il Vous Plait – the French which means, “please reply”.
    Usage: The invitation said RSVP so I sent a note to say that I would attend the party.
  • WC – Water Closet – toilet.
    Usage: When we entered the park we went directly to the sign that said WC.

A comprehensive list can be found here. And while you’re at it, you might want to check out twenty popular foreign phrases.

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