abbreviated

American  

[uh-bree-vee-ey-tid] / əˈbri viˌeɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. shortened; made briefer.

   The rain led to an abbreviated picnic.

2. (of clothing) scanty; barely covering the body.

   an abbreviated bathing suit.

3. constituting a shorter or smaller version of.

   The large car was an abbreviated limousine.

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Other Word Forms

• unabbreviated adjective

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."

Example Sentences

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

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 • Jan. 17, 2026

It will reopen on Friday for an abbreviated session that ends at 1 p.m.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 26, 2025

LIV Golf will abandon its abbreviated 54-hole format in favor of 72-hole tournaments in 2026, officials said Tuesday.

From Barron's • Nov. 4, 2025

At the time the word was meaningless to me, but termination of parental rights—usually abbreviated as TPR in the system—is a huge transition in a child’s life.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

Related Words

• brief
• crisp
• precise
• shortened
• terse