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Abbreviations

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y

POSTAL CODES

SYMBOLS

A

a. acre; ampere; anode.

A angstrom unit.

AAA American Automobile Association.

AAU Amateur Athletic Union

A.B. Artium Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Arts.

ABA American Bar Association

ABC American Broadcasting Company.

AC alternating current.

accel. accelerando, with increasing rapidity (music).

acct account.

AD anno Domini, in the year of our Lord.

ADC aid to dependent children; aide-de-camp.

ad lib. ad libitum, at pleasure.

Adm. Admiral.

AEC Atomic Energy Commission.

AFAM Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

AFL-CIO American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations.

AID Agency for International Development.

AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

AL American League.

Ala. Alabama.

Alta. Alberta.

AM, a.m.; A.M.; AM ante meridiem, before noon; Artium Magister, Master of Arts; amplitude modulation.

AMA American Medical Association.

amu atomic mass unit.

anon anonymous.

AP Associated Press.

APO Army Post Office.

Apr. April.

apt. apartment.

aq aqua, water.

Ariz. Arizona.

Ark. Arkansas.

ASAP as soon as possible.

ASCAP American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

assn association.

asst assistant.

Aug. August.

av average; avoirdupois.

Ave. Avenue.

AWOL absent without leave (military).

awu relative atomic weight unit.

B

b. born.

B.A. Baccalaureus Artium, Bachelor of Arts.

Bart., Bt. Baronet.

BBC British Broadcasting Corporation.

bbl. barrel; barrels.

BC before Christ.

B.C. British Columbia.

B.C.E. Bachelor of Civil Engineering.

B.C.L. Bachelor of Civil Law.

B.D. Baccalaureus Divinitatis, Bachelor of Divinity.

B.D.S. Bachelor of Dental Surgery.

BeV billion electron volts.

bk bank; book.

B.L. Baccalaureus Legum, Bachelor of Laws.

bldg building.

B.Lit. Baccalaureus Literarum, Bachelor of Literature.

Blvd. boulevard.

B.M. Baccalaureus Medicinae, Bachelor of Medicine.

B.M.E. Bachelor of Mining Engineering.

B.Mus. Baccalaureus Musicae, Bachelor of Music.

B.Phil. Baccalaureus Philosophiae, Bachelor of Philosophy.

Brig. Gen. Brigadier General.

Brit British.

bros brothers.

B.S., B.Sc. Baccalaureus Scientiae, Bachelor of Science.

Btu British thermal unit.

bu. bushel; bushels.

C

c carat; cent; circa; copyright.

C Celsius.

cal calendar; calorie.

Calif. California.

Can. Canada.

Capt. Captain.

CARE Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere.

CBS Columbia Broadcasting System.

cc cubic centimeters.

CC carbon copy; closed-captioned.

CCC Commodity Credit Corporation.

CCF Cooperative Commonwealth Federation.

CE Common Era; Christian Era.

cf. confer, compare.

ch, chap chapter.

CIA Central Intelligence Agency.

CIS Commonwealth of Independent States.

cm centimeter.

CNN Cable News Network.

c/o care of.

Co., co. company; county.

CO, C.O. Commanding Officer.

COD cash on delivery; collect on delivery.

Col. Colonel; Colossians.

Colo. Colorado.

Comdr. Commander.

Commo. Commodore.

Conn. Connecticut.

CORE Congress of Racial Equality.

corp. Corporal; Corporation.

cos cosine.

cot cotangent.

CPA Certified Public Accountant.

cr cathode ray; credit.

cresc. crescendo, gradual increase of tone (music).

CST central standard time.

CT computed tomography.

cts cents.

cu cubic.

cwt hundredweight.

D

d. denarius, a penny; died.

D Democrat.

D.C. da capo, from the beginning (music); District of Columbia.

DC direct current.

D.C.L. Doctor of Canon Law; Doctor of Civil Law.

D.D. Divinitatis Doctor, Doctor of Divinity.

D.D.S. Doctor of Dental Surgery.

Dec. December.

Del. Delaware.

D.Eng. Doctor of Engineering.

dept. department.

dim. diminuendo, gradual decrease of tone (music).

dist. district.

D.Lit., D.Litt. Doctor of Literature; Doctor of Letters.

dm decimeter.

D.M.D. Doctor of Dental Medicine.

D.Mus. Doctor Musicae, Doctor of Music.

DNA deoxyribonucleic acid.

D.O. Doctor of Osteopathy.

doz. dozen.

Dr. Doctor.

D.S., D.Sc. Doctor of Science.

DSC Distinguished Service Cross.

DSM Distinguished Service Medal.

DSO Distinguished Service Order.

DST daylight saving time.

DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

dwt. deadweight ton; pennyweight.

E

e., E, E. east.

EC European Communities.

ed. edition; editor; education.

EE electrical engineer.

EEC European Economic Community.

EEG electroencephalogram.

EFTA European Free Trade Association.

e.g. exempli gratia, for example.

EKG electrocardiogram.

E.M.F. electromotive force.

Ens. Ensign.

esp. especially.

Esq. Esquire.

est. established.

et al. et alibi, and elsewhere; et alii, and others.

etc. et cetera, and so on.

et seq. et sequens, and the following; et sequentes, et sequentia, and those that follow.

F

f forte, loud (music).

f. franc (French money); following (page).

F Fahrenheit.

FA field artillery.

FAA Federal Aviation Administration.

FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation.

FCC Federal Communications Commission.

Feb. February.

fed federal; federation.

ff. folios; following (pages).

ff fortissimo, very loud (music).

FHA Federal Housing Administration.

fl. flourished.

Fla. Florida.

FM frequency modulation.

FOB free on board.

FRCP Fellow of Royal College of Physicians.

FRCS Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons.

FRGS Fellow of Royal Geographical Society.

Fri. Friday.

FRS Fellow of the Royal Society; Federal Reserve System.

ft feet; foot; fort.

G

g gram; gravity.

Ga. Georgia.

gal. gallon; gallons.

GAR Grand Army of the Republic.

GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

gcd greatest common divisor.

GCT Greenwich civil time.

Gen. General; Genesis.

GMT Greenwich mean time

GNP gross national product.

GOP Grand Old Party (Republican party, U.S.).

Gov. Governor.

govt government.

H

HDTV high-definition television.

HMS, H.M.S. His (or Her) Majesty's Ship (or Service).

Hon. Honorable.

hon. honorary.

hp horsepower.

hq headquarters.

hr hour.

HR House of Representatives.

hwy highway.

I

I. island, isle.

ib., ibid. ibidem, in the same place.

ICBM intercontinental ballistic missile.

ICC Interstate Commerce Commission.

id. idem, the same.

ID identification.

i.e. id est, that is.

IHS symbol meaning Jesus formed by a contraction of Greek letters.

Ill. Illinois.

illus illustrated.

in. inch; inches.

inc. incorporated; inclusive.

Ind. Indiana.

INRI Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.

intl international.

IOU I owe you.

IQ intelligence quotient.

IRS Internal Revenue Service.

ITO International Trade Organization.

IWW Industrial Workers of the World.

J

Jan. January.

J.C.D. Juris Civilis Doctor, Doctor of Civil Law.

J.D. Jurum Doctor, Doctor of Law.

jg junior grade.

JP justice of the peace.

Jr. Junior.

J.U.D. Juris Ultriusque Doctor, Doctor of both Civil and Canon Law.

K

K Kelvin (scale).

Kan., Kans. Kansas.

kg kilogram.

kl kiloliter.

km kilometer (km2 square kilometer).

KP kitchen police.

kt karat; knight.

kw kilowatt.

kwhr kilowatt-hour.

Ky. Kentucky.

L

l liter.

La. Louisiana.

lat. latitude.

lb libra, pound.

lc lower case (type).

LCD lowest common denominator.

LCM least common multiple.

Lieut., Lt. Lieutenant.

Lit.B. Literarum Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Literature.

Lit. D., Litt. D. Literarum Doctor, Doctor of Literature, Doctor of Letters.

LL.B. Legum Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Laws.

LL.D. Legum Doctor, Doctor of Laws.

LL.M. Legum Magister, Master of Laws.

loc. cit. loco citato, in the place cited.

log logarithm.

long. longitude.

ltd. limited.

M

m meridies, noon; meter.

M Monsieur; Mach.

M.A. Magister Artium, Master of Arts.

Ma.E. Master of Engineering.

Maj. Major.

Man. Manitoba.

Mar. March.

Mass. Massachusetts.

M.B. Medicinae Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Medicine.

M.C. Magister Chirurgiae, Master of Surgery; Master of Ceremonies; Member of Congress.

M.C.E. Master of Civil Engineering.

M.D. Medicinae Doctor, Doctor of Medicine.

Md. Maryland.

M.D.S. Master of Dental Surgery.

Me. Maine.

M.E. Mining (or Mechanical) Engineer.

Messrs Messieurs, Gentlemen, Sirs.

MeV million electron volts.

mf mezzo forte, moderately loud (music).

mfg manufacturing.

mg. milligram.

Mgr., or Msgr. Monsignor.

mi. mile.

Mich. Michigan.

Minn. Minnesota.

misc miscellaneous.

Miss. Mississippi.

Mlle Mademoiselle.

MM. Messieurs.

mm millimeter (mm2, square millimeter; mm3, cubic millimeter).

Mme Madame.

Mo. Missouri.

mo. month.

Mon. Monday.

Mont. Montana.

MP Member of Parliament; military police.

mph miles per hour.

MRI magnetic resonance imaging.

M.S., M.Sc. Master of Science.

Mt. Mount, Mountain.

Mus.B. Musicae Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Music.

Mus.D. Musicae Doctor, Doctor of Music.

N

n., N, N. north.

NAACP National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

NASA National Aeronatics and Space Administration.

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

N.B. New Brunswick.

N.B., n.b. nota bene, note well.

NBA National Basketball Association.

NBC National Broadcasting Company.

N.C. North Carolina.

NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association.

NCO noncommissioned officer.

n.d. no date (of publication).

N.D., N. Dak. North Dakota.

Neb., Nebr. Nebraska.

nem. con. nemine contradicente, "no one contradicting," unanimously.

Nev. Nevada.

Newf., Nfld. Newfoundland.

NFL National Football League.

NG national guard; no good.

N.H. New Hampshire.

NHL National Hockey League.

N.J. New Jersey.

NL National League.

N.M., N. Mex. New Mexico.

no. numero, number.

non seq. non sequitur, it does not follow.

Nov. November.

NP notary public.

N.S. Nova Scotia.

N.S.W. New South Wales.

NT, N.T. New Testament.

N.W.T. Northwest Territories.

N.Y. New York.

O

OAS Organization of American States.

ob. obiit, died.

OCS officer candidate school.

Oct. October.

Okla. Oklahoma.

Ont. Ontario.

o.p. out of print.

op. cit. opere citato, in the work cited.

Ore. Oregon.

OT, O.T. Old Testament.

oz ounce.

P

p.; p page; piano, soft (music).

Pa., Penn., or Penna. Pennsylvania.

par paragraph.

PAU Pan American Union.

PBS Public Broadcasting Service.

PC personal computer; Privy Council; Privy Councilor.

pd paid.

Pd.M. Master of Pedagogy.

P.E.I. Prince Edward Island.

pf, pfd preferred.

p.f. piu forte, a little louder (music).

pfc private first class.

Phar.D. Doctor of Pharmacy.

Ph.B. Philosophiae Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Philosophy.

Ph.D. Philosophiae Doctor, Doctor of Philosophy.

Ph.G. Graduate in Pharmacy.

pk. peck.

pkg package.

Pkwy parkway.

Pl. Place.

PM, p.m. post meridiem, after noon.

PO Post Office.

pp.; pp pages; pianissimo, very soft (music).

P.P., p.p. parcel post.

P.P.C. pour prendre conge, to take leave.

ppd postpaid; prepaid.

Pres. President.

prof. professor.

PS post scriptum, postscript; public school.

pt. point; port; part; pint.

PTA Parent-Teacher Association.

pvt. private.

PW prisoner of war.

Q

Q.E.D. quod erat demonstrandum, which was to be shown.

Q.E.F. quod erat faciendum, which was to be done.

QMG Quartermaster General.

qt. quart.

qu, ques question.

Que. Quebec.

q.v. quod vide, which see.

R

R Republican.

R. regina, queen; rex, king.

RA royal academy.

RAF Royal Air Force.

RAM Royal Academy of Music.

RCAF Royal Canadian Air Force.

RCMP Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

RCN Royal Canadian Navy.

Rd. road.

re reference; regarding.

Rep. Representative.

Rev. Revelation; Reverend.

RFD Rural Free Delivery.

R.I. Rhode Island.

RIP Requiescat in pace, May he rest in peace.

rit., ritard. ritardando, gradually slower (music).

ritn. ritenuto, retarding (music).

RMS Royal Mail Steamship (or Service).

RN registered nurse; Royal Navy.

RNA ribonucleic acid.

ROTC Reserve Officers Training Corps.

rpm revolutions per minute.

RR railroad; rural route.

R.S.V.P. Repondez, s'il vous plait; Answer, if you please.

S

s. solidus, a shilling (English money).

s., S, S. south.

SAC Strategic Air Command.

Sask. Saskatchewan.

Sat. Saturday.

S.B. Bachelor of Science.

sc. scilicet, that is to say.

S.C. South Carolina.

Sc.B. Scientiae Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Science.

Sc.D. Scientiae Doctor, Doctor of Science.

S.D., S. Dak. South Dakota.

SEATO Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.

SEC Securities and Exchange Commission.

sec., secy secretary.

Sen. Senator.

Sept. September.

seq. sequentia, the following.

s.g. specific gravity.

sgd signed.

Sgt., Sergt. Sergeant.

SHAPE Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers, Europe.

SJ Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

SOP standard operating procedure.

SPCA Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

SPCC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

sp. gr. specific gravity.

S.P.Q.R. Senatus Populusque Romanus, the Roman Senate and People.

sq square.

Sr. Senior.

SRO standing room only.

SS steamship.

St. Saint; Strait; Street.

S.T.B. Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus, Bachelor of Sacred Theology.

S.T.D. Sacrae Theologiae Doctor, Doctor of Sacred Theology.

S.T.P. Sacrae Theologiae Professor, Professor of Sacred Theology.

Sun. Sunday.

Supt. Superintendent.

T

t. teaspoon; ton.

TB tuberculosis.

tb., tbs., tbsp. tablespoon.

Tenn. Tennessee.

Tex. Texas.

Thurs. Thursday.

tp. township.

Tues., Tue. Tuesday.

TVA Tennessee Valley Authority.

U

UFO unidentified flying object.

UHF ultrahigh frequency.

UK United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).

UN United Nations.

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund.

univ. university.

UPI United Press International.

US United States.

USA United States Army; United States of America.

USAF United States Air Force.

USMC United States Marine Corps.

USN United States Navy.

USP United States Pharmacopeia.

USS United States Ship; United States Steamer.

V

v verse.

Va. Virginia.

VC Victoria Cross.

Ven. Venerable.

VHF very high frequency.

V.I. Virgin Islands.

VIP very important person.

viz. videlicet, namely.

vol. volume.

VP vice-president.

vs. versus, against.

V.S. Veterinary Surgeon.

Vt. Vermont.

W

w., W, W. west.

Wash. Washington.

Wed. Wednesday.

WHO World Health Organization.

Wis., Wisc. Wisconsin.

wt. weight.

W. Va. West Virginia.

Wyo., Wy. Wyoming.

X

Xing crossing.

XL extra large.

Xmas Christmas.

Y

yd yard.

YMCA Young Men's Christian Association.

yr year.

Y.T. Yukon Territory.

YWCA Young Women's Christian Association.

POSTAL CODES

AK Alaska.

AL Alabama.

AR Arkansas.

AZ Arizona.

CA California.

CO Colorado.

CT Connecticut.

DC District of Columbia.

DE Delaware.

FL Florida.

GA Georgia.

HI Hawaii.

IA Iowa.

ID Idaho.

IL Illinois.

IN Indiana.

KS Kansas.

KY Kentucky.

LA Louisiana.

MA Massachusetts.

MD Maryland.

ME Maine.

MI Michigan.

MN Minnesota.

MO Missouri.

MS Mississippi.

MT Montana.

NC North Carolina.

ND North Dakota.

NE Nebraska.

NH New Hampshire.

NJ New Jersey.

NM New Mexico.

NV Nevada.

NY New York.

OH Ohio.

OK Oklahoma.

OR Oregon.

PA Pennsylvania.

RI Rhode Island.

SC South Carolina.

SD South Dakota.

TN Tennessee.

TX Texas.

UT Utah.

VA Virginia.

VT Vermont.

WA Washington.

WI Wisconsin.

WV West Virginia.

WY Wyoming.

SYMBOLS

+ add; plus.

& and.

* asterisk (refer to footnote).

@ at; each.

¢ cents.

© copyright.

° degrees (temperature, arc).

/ divide.

$ dollars.

… ellipsis

= equals.

' minutes (time, arc); feet.

x multiplied by.

# number; pounds; space.

¶ paragraph.

% percent.

£ pound sterling.

: the ratio of.

® registered trademark.

" seconds (time, arc); inches.

§ section.

/ shillings.

- subtract; minus.

---------------------------------------------------------

Excerpted from Compton's Concise Encyclopedia

Copyright (c) 1995 Compton's NewMedia, Inc.