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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ab·bre·vi·ate

Audio Help [uh-bree-vee-eyt] Pronunciation Key verb, -at·ed, -at·ing.

–verb (used with object)

1.	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.

2.	to reduce (anything) in length, duration, etc.; make briefer: to abbreviate a speech.

–verb (used without object)

3.	to use abbreviations.

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME abbreviaten < LL abbreviātus shortened (ptp. of abbreviāre), equiv. to L ad- ad- + breviātus (brevi(s) short + -ātus -ate¹)

]

—Related forms

ab·bre·vi·a·tor, noun

—Synonyms See shorten.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
abbreviate

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ab·bre·vi·ate Audio Help (ə-brē'vē-āt') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. ab·bre·vi·at·ed, ab·bre·vi·at·ing, ab·bre·vi·ates

To make shorter. See Synonyms at shorten.
To reduce (a word or phrase) to a shorter form intended to represent the full form.

[Middle English abbreviaten, from Late Latin abbreviāre, abbreviāt- : ad-, ad- + breviāre, to shorten (from brevis, short; see mregh-u- in Indo-European roots).]

ab·bre'vi·a'tor n.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

abbreviate
verb
1.	reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened" [syn: abridge] [ant: dilate]
2.	shorten; "Abbreviate 'New York' and write 'NY'"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
abbreviate [əˈbriːvieit] verb

to shorten (a word, phrase etc)
Example: Frederick is often abbreviated to Fred.

Arabic:	يُخْتَصَر
Chinese (Simplified):	缩写
Chinese (Traditional):	縮寫
Czech:	zkrátit
Danish:	forkorte
Dutch:	afkorten
Estonian:	lühendama
Finnish:	lyhentää
French:	abréger
German:	abkürzen
Greek:	συντέμνω
Hungarian:	rövidít
Icelandic:	stytta; skammstafa
Indonesian:	menyingkat
Italian:	abbreviare

Japanese:	短縮する
Korean:	간략하게 하다
Latvian:	saīsināt
Lithuanian:	(su)trumpinti
Norwegian:	forkorte
Polish:	skracać
Portuguese (Brazil):	abreviar
Portuguese (Portugal):	abreviar
Romanian:	a abrevia
Russian:	сокращать
Slovak:	skrátiť
Slovenian:	okrajšati
Spanish:	abreviar
Swedish:	förkorta
Turkish:	kısaltmak

See also: abbreviation, "abbreviate" in any language

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Abbreviate

Ab*bre"vi*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abbreviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Abbreviating.] [L. abbreviatus, p. p. of abbreviare; ad + breviare to shorten, fr. brevis short. See Abridge.]

1. To make briefer; to shorten; to abridge; to reduce by contraction or omission, especially of words written or spoken.

It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off. --Bacon.

2. (Math.) To reduce to lower terms, as a fraction.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Abbreviate

Ab*bre"vi*ate\, a. [L. abbreviatus, p. p.]

1. Abbreviated; abridged; shortened. [R.] "The abbreviate form." --Earle.

2. (Biol.) Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the ordinary type.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Abbreviate

Ab*bre"vi*ate\, n. An abridgment. [Obs.] --Elyot.

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