PDA

American  

[pee-dee-ey] / ˈpiˈdiˈeɪ /

abbreviation

1. Informal. public display of affection: an act or instance of kissing, holding hands, caressing, etc., outside of private or intimate settings.

   My partner and I try to avoid PDA at work-related parties.

2. personal digital assistant: a handheld computer, often using a pen or stylus, that provides organizational software, such as an appointment calendar, and often communications hardware.

---

PDA British  

abbreviation

1. personal digital assistant

---

PDA Scientific  

/ pē′dē-ā′ /

1. Short for personal digital assistant. A lightweight, handheld computer, typically employing a touch-sensitive screen rather than a keyboard, generally used for storing information such as addresses or schedules. Many PDAs include handwriting recognition software, some support voice recognition, and some have an internal cell phone and modem to link with other computers or networks.

---

Usage

What does PDA mean? PDA is an abbreviation for public display of affection, as when a couple makes out in public. PDA can also stand for personal digital assistant, a kind of handheld computer … that smartphones made mostly obsolete. In medicine, PDA is short for patent ductus arteriosus, a heart defect affecting babies. How is PDA pronounced?[ pee-dee-ey ]What are some other forms of PDA?pdaPDOApdoa

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

PDA

The Alchemy appeared to reference their post-Super Bowl PDA, with the lyric "Where's the trophy? / He just comes running over to me".

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

By not making a PDA, Apple had the resources to make the iPod, then the iPhone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 21, 2026

Ms Barrett said the company assured her its teachers were trained and experienced at dealing with PDA, but the arrangement broke down after her child's teacher revealed they had "never heard" of it.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2025

They created PDA in 2022 as a place to incubate their work, not knowing the vast community they would draw in almost instantly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 16, 2025

Usually I’d be mortified at such over-the-top PDA, especially with her decked out in red boots, silver arm cuffs, and a gold belt, but today I didn’t mind.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas