Initialism (Noun)
Meaning 1
A word formed from the initial letters of the several words in the name and pronounced as one word; "`NATO' is an initialism for North Atlantic Treaty Organization"; "the word `scuba' is an acronym for s(elf)-c(ontained) u(nderwater) b(reathing) a(pparatus)".
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- NASA is an initialism for National Aeronautics and Space Administration and is pronounced as one word.
- SCUBA is technically an initialism for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus that is widely used as a common noun.
- The word RADAR is an initialism for RAdio Detection And Ranging and is widely used in many languages.
- The acronym and initialism LASER represents Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
- GPS is an initialism for Global Positioning System and is used to guide naval, land, and air traffic around the world.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
An abbreviation formed from the initial letters of the several words in the name and pronounced separately; "HTML is an initialism for HyperText Markup Language".
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- NASA is a well-known initialism that stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
- The medical field uses the initialism ICU to refer to the Intensive Care Unit.
- ASAP is a common initialism used to convey urgency and stands for As Soon As Possible.
- The military often uses initialisms to identify different departments and operations, such as PTSD for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- UNICEF is an initialism for the United Nations Children's Fund and is recognized worldwide.