Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

abbreviation

/əˌbɹi.viˈeɪ.ʃn̩/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.14 in modern English

Syllables
ab-bre-vi-a-tion
IPA
/əˌbɹi.viˈeɪ.ʃn̩/
19
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
5
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The result of shortening or reducing; abridgment.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase used to represent the whole, using omission of letters, and sometimes substitution of letters, or duplication of initial letters to signify plurality, including signs such as +, =, @.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The process of abbreviating.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A notation used in music score to denote a direction, as pp or mf.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

One or more dashes through the stem of a note, dividing it respectively into quavers, semiquavers, demisemiquavers, or hemidemisemiquavers.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Any convenient short form used as a substitution for an understood or inferred whole.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Loss during evolution of the final stages of the ancestral ontogenetic pattern.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Reduction to lower terms, as a fraction.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

First attested 1400–50. From Middle English abbreviacioun, from Middle French abreviation, from Ecclesiastical Latin abbreviātiō, from Latin ad + breviō (“shorten”), from brevis (“short”). By surface analysis, abbreviate + -ion.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: abbreviacioun, abréviation, abbreviātiō, ad

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /əˌbɹi.viˈeɪ.ʃn̩/
  • British English: /əˌbɹiː.viˈeɪ.ʃən/

Usage

Inflected Forms

abbreviations (plural) abbr. (alternative) abbrv. (alternative) abbrev. (alternative)

Derived Forms

abbreviationitis unabbreviation

Phrases

graphic abbreviation syllabic abbreviation

Synonyms

abbreviature abridgement abstract compend compression condensation contraction curtailment epitome reduction shortcut summary

Antonyms

amplification dilation enlargement expansion expatiation extension production

Rhymes With

information education situation population station association administration operation organization nation location application

Questions

How do you pronounce abbreviation?
The recorded pronunciation is /əˌbɹi.viˈeɪ.ʃn̩/.
What does abbreviation mean?
The result of shortening or reducing; abridgment.
Where does abbreviation come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce abbreviation

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “abbreviation”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˌbɹi.viˈeɪ.ʃn̩/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “abbreviation”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “abbreviation” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.