initialism

[ ih-nish-uh-liz-uhm ]

noun
  1. a set of initials representing a name, organization, or the like, with each letter pronounced separately, as FBI for Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  1. the practice of using initials or forming words from initials.

Origin of initialism

1
First recorded in 1895–1900; initial + -ism

Grammar notes for initialism

Words that may be confused with initialism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024