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Definition of abbreviate

abbreviate

/əˈbriː.vi.eɪt/
ab · bre · vi · ate
Adjective:abbreviated
•
Past Simple:abbreviated
•
Past Participle:abbreviated
•
Present Participle:abbreviating
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abbreviate Lexical Profile

abbreviate Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To shorten a word, phrase, or title by omitting letters, substituting initial letters, or using a conventional symbol.

Example

"In formal academic writing, it is generally best not to abbreviate the names of months or days of the week."

2

To make a speech, text, event, or period of time shorter in duration or length than originally planned.

Example

"Due to the approaching thunderstorm, the organizers decided to abbreviate the outdoor concert."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for abbreviate

• Nearby Words

abbess
abbey
abbot
abbreviate
abbreviation
abbreviator
abc

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the 15th century from Late Latin abbreviatus, the past participle of abbreviare ('to shorten'), formed from ad- ('to') and brevis ('short').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Abbreviate. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/abbreviate
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