The meaning of ABBREVIATE is to make briefer; especially : to reduce (a word or name) to a shorter form intended to stand for the whole. How to use abbreviate in a sentence.
ABBREVIATE definition: 1. to make a word or phrase shorter by using only the first letters of each word: 2. to make a…. Learn more.
ABBREVIATE definition: to shorten (a word or phrase) by omitting letters, substituting shorter forms, etc., so that the shortened form can represent the whole word or phrase, as ft. for foot, ab. for about, R.I. for Rhode Island, NW for Northwest, or Xn for Christian.
If you abbreviate something, especially a word or a piece of writing, you make it shorter. He abbreviated his first name to Alec. [VERB noun + to]
abbreviate (third-person singular simple present abbreviates, present participle abbreviating, simple past and past participle abbreviated) (obsolete, transitive) To shorten by omitting parts or details.
- to shorten (a word or phrase) by omitting letters, substituting shorter forms, etc., so that the shortened form can represent the whole word or phrase. 2. to reduce in length, duration, etc.; make briefer: to abbreviate a speech. 3. to use abbreviations. ab bre′vi a`tor, n. syn: See shorten.
To abbreviate is to shorten. Words are often abbreviated, like when we say sked instead of schedule.
Definition of abbreviate verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
to shorten (a word or phrase) by omitting letters so that the shortened form stands for the whole word or phrase:[usually: be + ~-ed + to] United Nations is frequently abbreviated to UN. to make briefer: He abbreviated his speech. See -brev-. ab bre vi ate (ə brē′ vē āt′), v., -at ed, -at ing.