acronym

plural acronyms

1. An abbreviation formed by the initial letters of other words.
   1. human sciencesGenerally such abbreviations, including those pronounced as individual letters (initialisms such as "TNT").

      Pee-gee-enn. It's an acronym, that's what it is. That's what they call words made up of initials.

      1940, L. Feuchtwanger, translated by W. Muir et al., Paris Gazette, iii, xlvii, p. 518

   2. human sciencesExclusively such abbreviations when pronounced as a word (as "laser" or "NATO").

      Traders have reportedly come up with the acronym TACO, which stands for “Trump always chickens out,” to take advantage of the trade environment created by the president’s habit of threatening to impose tariffs on countries, and then backing off at the last moment.

      2025 May 28, Ali Bianco, “Trump’s not happy about Wall Street’s name for tariff flip-flops”, in POLITICO

      1 more example

      Some teachers festoon every spare inch of wall with vocabulary choices or maths techniques to use, which look great at first, but to some children might appear quite daunting. You'll probably see unfamiliar acronyms such as Walt (We Are Learning To). Be sure to ask what they stand for and how they are used in practice.

      2014 September 23, “Choosing a Primary School: A Teacher's Guide for Parents”, in The Guardian

2. human sciencesAn abbreviation formed by the beginning letters or syllables of other words; this sense includes syllabic abbreviations such as Benelux and satnav.

   Acronyms or telescoped names like nabisco from National Biscuit Company.

   1950, Simeon Potter, Our Language, page 163

present singular third person acronyms · participle present acronyming · participle present rare acronymming · participle past acronymed · past acronymed · participle past rare acronymmed · past rare acronymmed

1. To form into an acronym.