shorthand

American  

[shawrt-hand] / ˈʃɔrtˌhænd /

noun

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

Explanation

Shorthand is a way of writing quickly, using a lot of abbreviations. Reporters often use shorthand during interviews to keep up with how fast people talk. It can be hard to write as fast as people speak, and that's where shorthand comes in. Shorthand is a method of rapidly transcribing exactly what someone says using special symbols, the way a court stenographer or a newspaper reporter does. It's less common to use shorthand these days, with the availability of recording devices, but in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries it was standard in offices.

Example Sentences

Thoreau might have been surprised to learn that for later Americans, his name would be shorthand for the use of nature as a lens through which to view the self.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Mason described a 5-by-8 hardcover as shorthand for a specific book she seeks out when she is in a bookstore because it often signals a character-driven novel.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

“It’s a historical lens on U.S. corporate leadership, and while professionals rely on broader measures, the Dow remains the public’s most enduring shorthand benchmark.”

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

Over time, the Gymkhana also became shorthand for a certain kind of inherited privilege in Delhi.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

The radio transmissions were in shorthand: the Corona had put in a call from northwest of sounding board 56, looking for a fix from the lighthouse radio signal.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Related Words

• calligraphy
• handwriting
• print
• script