English Reference
Word verb

acronym

v.
US /ˈækɹənɪm/ UK /ˈækɹənˌɪm/ acro·nym UK spelling acronym's, acronym's
Definition
  1. 01 C2 Proficiency AcademicFormal

    to turn a long name or phrase into a short acronym.

    to convert a phrase or name into an acronymic form.

    Simple

    “The committee decided to acronym the project name to make it easier to remember.”

    In context

    “The tendency to acronym complex departmental titles has led to a confusing proliferation of jargon within the civil service.”

    Usage

    This verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

    Synonyms
    abbreviate
Etymology

Borrowed from German Akronym, from Ancient Greek ἄκρον (ákron, “end, peak”) and ὄνυμα (ónuma, “name”), equivalent to acro- (“high; beginning”) + -onym (“name”). Modelled after Homonym and Synonym, first attested in German in the early 1900s and in English in 1940.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Ancient Greek ἄκρον
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated