orphan acronyms

A form of orphan acronym — An existing acronym which has been redefined by some authority (such as a company legally defining its own name) as a nonacronymous name, severing its link to its previous meaning.

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Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of orphan acronym
Cite this entry
APA

orphan acronyms. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orphan%20acronyms

MLA

“orphan acronyms.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orphan%20acronyms. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “orphan acronyms,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orphan%20acronyms.

Source: orphan acronyms on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.