Synonyms

abbreviate

American

[uh-bree-vee-eyt] / əˈbri viˌeɪt /

verb (used with object)

abbreviated, abbreviating

to shorten (a word or phrase) by omitting letters, substituting shorter forms, etc., so that the shortened form can represent the whole word or phrase, as ft. for foot, ab. for about, R.I. for Rhode Island, NW for Northwest, or Xn for Christian.
to reduce (anything) in length, duration, etc.; make briefer.

to abbreviate a speech.

verb (used without object)

abbreviated, abbreviating

to use abbreviations.

abbreviate British

/ əˈbriːvɪˌeɪt /

verb

to shorten (a word or phrase) by contraction or omission of some letters or words
to shorten (a speech or piece of writing) by omitting sections, paraphrasing, etc
to cut short

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See shorten.

Other Word Forms

abbreviator noun

Etymology

Origin of abbreviate

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English abbreviaten, from Late Latin abbreviātus shortened (past participle of abbreviāre ), equivalent to Latin ad- ad- + breviātus ( brevi(s) “short“ + -ātus -ate ¹ )

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.

Strictly speaking, these galleries—limited by gaps in the DIA’s holdings and by space—provide only an abbreviated history of black art.

From The Wall Street Journal

You can find the guidelines here, and an abbreviated version here.

From The Wall Street Journal

Stocks were riding high ahead of the Christmas holiday on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 tallying a fresh intraday record during the abbreviated Christmas Eve session.

From MarketWatch

The U.S. stock market will have an abbreviated trading session Wednesday for Christmas Eve, and will be closed Thursday for Christmas.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023