acronyms
|ac-ro-nym|
B2
/ˈækrəˌnɪmz/
(acronym)
initials as a word
Etymology
Etymology Information
'acronym' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'akron,' meaning 'tip' or 'end,' and 'onoma,' meaning 'name.'
Historical Evolution
'akron' and 'onoma' combined to form the modern English word 'acronym.'
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to any abbreviation, but now it specifically refers to those pronounced as words.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a word formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word (e.g., NASA, NATO).
NASA is an acronym for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/04/28 12:21