shorthand

American  

[shawrt-hand] / ˈʃɔrtˌhænd /

noun

1. a method of rapid handwriting using simple strokes, abbreviations, or symbols that designate letters, words, or phrases (longhand ).

2. a simplified or makeshift manner or system of communication.

   We spoke in a kind of pidgin shorthand to overcome the language barrier.

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adjective

1. using or able to use shorthand.

2. written in shorthand.

3. of or relating to shorthand.

shorthand British  

/ ˈʃɔːtˌhænd /

noun

1. 1. a system of rapid handwriting employing simple strokes and other symbols to represent words or phrases

   2. ( as modifier )

      a shorthand typist

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Etymology

Origin of shorthand

First recorded in 1630–40; short + hand

Example Sentences

Those remarkable dressings displayed here reveal dynamic, shorthand ink vignettes—energetic hieroglyphs and vibrating, wiry stick figures whose spells discharge like lightning.

From The Wall Street Journal

Boston said she and her collaborators would often reference specific films — everything from “The Celebration” to “Uncut Gems” — as a shorthand for the tone they were hoping to strike in a given episode.

From Los Angeles Times

A quantum computer uses qubits—shorthand for quantum bits—to harness the behavior of subatomic particles, which can exist in multiple states at once.

From The Wall Street Journal

That is a readiness target, not a go date, but it has become shorthand to convey the threat’s seriousness.

From The Wall Street Journal

But today “peptide” has become shorthand for an injectable drug that hasn’t undergone FDA approval.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• calligraphy
• handwriting
• print
• script