Abbreviation
From Encyclopædia
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase that is used to save space in written form. Certain types of abbreviations, such as some acronyms, may also facilitate
memory and are spoken, if easily pronounced, as well as written. (An example is UNESCO, United
nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.) The use of abbreviations dates back to ancient times, but the proliferation of abbreviations has been most acute in the 20th century. This is directly related to the vast increase in information, especially in
science and
technology, and to the ever-burgeoning
number of agencies and organizations, both private and governmental. The following tables, divided into several categories, list some of the major abbreviations in current usage.
