- past participle of abbreviate.
- past tense form of abbreviate.
abbreviated
Americanadjective
-
shortened; made briefer.
The rain led to an abbreviated picnic.
-
(of clothing) scanty; barely covering the body.
an abbreviated bathing suit.
-
constituting a shorter or smaller version of.
The large car was an abbreviated limousine.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of abbreviated
First recorded in 1545–55; abbreviate + -ed 2
Explanation
Something that's abbreviated is shortened or condensed. An abbreviated version of your favorite novel might be a quick read, but ultimately kind of disappointing. If you have to take an abbreviated vacation, you might need to leave Hawaii after a few days instead of staying for two weeks. On the other hand, if your boss at work gives you an abbreviated version of her usual lecture, you'll be able to go home a little earlier. The adjective abbreviated and the verb abbreviate both come from the noun abbreviation, with its Latin root, abbreviare, "make brief," from ad-, "to," and breviare, "shorten."
Vocabulary lists containing abbreviated
Brief
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Brief
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She had worked all her life; even as a small child, her school year was abbreviated so she could chop cotton for a few months on the plantation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
She lost to Trump following an abbreviated campaign.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
That’s law professor-speak for cases that are given abbreviated consideration and accelerated review by the justices, all out of public view – what The New York Times story referred to as the court “sprinting.”
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
He says he’s wary about his Somali clients getting a fair hearing, given the volume of cases that have been rescheduled and the abbreviated lead time for hearings.
From Slate • Mar. 27, 2026
Each contained a message of only one or two lines, in the abbreviated jargon—not actually Newspeak, but consisting largely of Newspeak words—which was used in the Ministry for internal purposes.
From "1984" by George Orwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
