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Definition of acronym

acronym

/ˈæk.rə.nɪm/
ac · ro · nym
Adverb:acronymically
•
Plural:acronyms
•
Adjective:acronymic
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acronym Lexical Profile

acronym Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a single word (for example, NASA or laser).

Example

"The word 'radar' originated as an acronym for 'radio detection and ranging'."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for acronym

Word Nuance & Usage

Strictly speaking, an acronym is pronounced as a single word (such as NASA or NATO), whereas an initialism is pronounced letter by letter (such as FBI or ATM), though 'acronym' is widely used for both in everyday speech.

• Rhymes for acronym

• Nearby Words

acrobatic
acrobatically
acrobatics
acronym
acronymic
acrophobe
acrophobia

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the 1940s from the Greek elements 'akros' (meaning 'tip' or 'outermost') and '-ōnymon' (meaning 'name'), modeled on earlier linguistic terms like 'homonym' and 'synonym'.

Cite this Entry

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