This is a list of common abbreviations in the English language.

A

ab

abdominal muscle (slang)^[1]

abalone

abscess (slang)^[2]

ad

advantage (tennis)^[3]

advertisement^[4]

advert

advertisement^[4]

addy

[email] address^[5]

admin

administrator^[6]

administration^[7]

afish

aficionado

ag

agriculture (informal)^[8]

aggro

aggravation or aggression^[9]

agit-prop

agitational propaganda^[10]

alky

an alcoholic

amp

ampere^[11]

amphetamine (as in "amped up")

amplifier^[11]

amputation or amputee^[12]

ampoule^[12]

amplify

app

application^[13]

arco

arcology

Argie

Argentine, Argentinian

Aspie

Someone with Asperger syndrome

auto

automobile^[14]

automatic^[15]

av or avvie (also avvy)

avatar

B

bennies

benzedrine (slang)^[16]

benefits^[17][18][19]

bevvy

beverage (usu. alcoholic)

bi

bisexual (slang)^[20]

bike

bicycle^[21]

bio

biology^[22]

biography (informal)^[23]

Birks

Birkenstocks

biz

business (informal)^[24]

black ops

black operations

bod

body (slang/informal)^[25]

bookie

bookmaker^[26]

bra

brassiere^[27]

bread

bread and honey (money)

bro

brother (slang)^[28]

bronc

bronco^[29]

bronto

Brontosaurus

bud

buddy (informal)^[30]

budgie

budgerigar^[31]

bunk

bunkum^[32]

C

cab

Cabernet Sauvignon

cabriolet

caff (UK slang)

café

cal

calorie (in combination, especially "lo-cal")

Cal or Cali

California

Calcutta

cam

camera

camouflage

camo

camouflage

Can

Canada or Canadian (in combination)

cap

captain

lie (informal)

caps

capitals

carbs

carbohydrates

cardio

cardiovascular training (aerobic exercise)

cat

catalytic converter

catamaran

chem

chemistry

chemo

chemotherapy

Chevy

Chevrolet

chimp

chimpanzee

cig

cigarette

cishet or cis-het

cisgender-heterosexual

civ

civilization

civvy or civvie

civilian

civvies

civilian clothes (military slang)

clit

clitoris

coed

coeducational

coke

cocaine

Coke

Coca-Cola

com

command

communication (especially in combinations)

combi or combo

combination

Commie

Communist

con

confidence trick

convention

convict

condo

condominium

congrats

congratulations

contacts

contact lenses

co-op

cooperative

corp

corporation

cred

credibility

crip

cripple

croc

crocodile

curio

curiosity

cuz

cousin

cyber

cybernetic (especially in combination)

D

decaf

decaffeinated

decal

decalcomania

decij

decision

deco

decoration

deets

details

defrag

defragment

deli

delicatessen

delish

delicious

Dem

Democrat

demo

demonstration

demolition

derm

dermatologist

dermatological

depict

depicture

detox

detoxification

dicot

dicotyledon

dif (or diff)

difference

digi

digital

digi cabes

digital cable

dino

dinosaur

dis (or diss)

disrespect

disco

discotheque

doc

doctor

document

dorm

dormitory

Dub

Dubliner

E

e-

electronic (e.g. email, efit, emeter)

ed

education

emo

emotional

ep

episode

eppie, eppy

epileptic seizure

ex

ex-(boyfriend, wife, etc.)

exhibition

war exercise

exam

examination

exec

executive

expo

exposition

F

fab

fabrication

fabulous

fan

fanatic

fed

federal

frack

fracture

frag

fragmentation grenade, also verb: to kill with such a grenade.

frank

frankfurter

fridge

refrigerator

G

ganj

ganja

gas

gasoline

gat

Gatling gun

gig

gigabyte

gin

Geneva^[33]

glutes

gluteus maximus

go fig

go figure

gov, guv

governor

government

grad

graduate (or graduation, as in "grad night")

gran, granny

grandmother

guac

guacamole

gym

gymnasium

H

ham, hammy

hamster

hash

hashish

hep

hepatitis

hetero or het

heterosexual

hifi

high fidelity system

hi(gh) res

high resolution

hippo

hippopotamus

homo

homosexual

homogenized (milk)

hydro

hydroelectricity

hydrotherapy

hydrothermal

hydroponic

hype

hyperbole

hypo

hypodermic

hyper

hyperactive

I

Inc

Incorporated

indie, indy

independence, independent

independent music

independent film

Indy 500

Indianapolis 500

inf

infinitely

info

information

infra dig

infra dignitatem (beneath one's dignity) (borrowed from Latin)

inti

intifada

intro

introduction

ipecac

ipecacuanha

Itey

Italian (offensive)

J

Jap

Japanese (considered rude)

Jerry

German (offensive, historical)

K

kilo

kilogram

klepto

kleptomaniac

L

lab

laboratory

(cap.) Labrador retriever

lav, lavvy

lavatory

legit

legitimate

les, lez, or lesbo

lesbian

lib

liberal

liberation

library (computer science)

(cap.) Libertarian

Lib-Lab

Liberal-Labour (UK)

limo

limousine

lino

linoleum

Linotype machine

lit

literature

lit crit

literary criticism

lo-cal

low-calorie

log

logarithm

M

mac

macadam

macaroni

(with initial capital) Apple Macintosh

McIntosh apple

(or mack) mackintosh

macro

macroinstruction

mag

magazine

magnet

magnification

magnesium alloy wheels

magnum

Man United

Manchester United F.C.

Mass

Massachusetts

maths (UK) or math (U.S.)

mathematics

matric

matriculation^[34]

max

maximum

mayo

mayonnaise

med, meds

medication

medic

(with initial capital) Mediterranean (the sea or the surrounding area)

meg

megabyte

memo

memorandum

meth

methamphetamine

meths

methylated spirits

Mex or Mexi

Mexican

mezc

mescaline

mike or mic

microphone

mig

milligram mg

mil

military

millilitre

Minn

Minnesota

Miss

Mississippi

mod

moderator

modern

modification

modular

modulo

mono

monaural

monochrome

mononucleosis

monocot

monocotyledon

movie

feature film (i.e. moving picture)

N

natch

naturally

neg

negative

negs

(photographic) negatives

negative hits

net

Internet

neocon

neoconservative

neolib

neoliberal

Newfy

Newfoundlander

Nip

A Japanese (derogatory, Nipponese)

nympho

nymphomaniac

O

op

optical art^[35]

optical

operation

operator

opportunity

op-ed

"opposite the editorial (page)", possibly "Opinion-Editorial" page

orang

orangutan

P

Paki

Pakistani (pejorative)

Paleo diet

Paleolithic diet

pants

pantaloons^[36]

pap, paps

paparazzi

pec

pectoral muscle^[37]

peeps

people (slang)^[38]

Peke

Pekingese

Penn

Pennsylvania

perk

perquisite

perp

perpetrator (slang)^[39]

perv

pervert^[40]

photo

photograph (informal)^[41]

photo op

photo(graphic) opportunity^[42]

phys ed

physical education (informal)^[43]

piano

pianoforte^[44]

pic (plural pics or pix)

(motion) picture (slang)^[45]

(photographic) picture (slang)^[45]

pol

politician (informal)^[46]

polio

poliomyelitis^[47]

poly

polyamorous

polyester^[48]

polyethylene^[48]

polygraph (U.S. government, as in "full scope poly")^[49]

polymer^[50]

polytechnic^[51]

po-mo

post-modern^[52]

pop

popular (informal)^[53]

popular music

porn or porno

pornography (slang)^[54]

postgrad

postgraduate

pram

perambulator, a baby carriage

prefs

preferences

preg

pregnant

prelim

preliminary (examination)

prep

preparatory

pres or prez

president

pro

professional

prof

professor

prom

promenade

promo

promotion

prop

propaganda

propeller

proposition

property (especially in theater sense)

psych

psychology

psycho

psychopath

pub

publication

public house

pullie

pullover

pulsar

pulsating

star

pyro

pyromaniac

pyrotechnic

Q

quad

quadrangle (courtyard)

quadruplet

quadriceps muscles

quadcopter (quad-engine helicopter)

quadbike (New Zealand)

quin, quint (U.S. and Canada)

quintuplet

R

rad

radian

radiator

radical

(military) radio

radfem

radical feminist

radio

radiotelegraphy

raspberry, razzy

raspberry tart (fart; more commonly, the derisive sound made with the tongue and lips; a Bronx cheer)

rasp

raspberry

Rasta

Rastafarian

Reb

Rebel (i.e., Confederate)

rec

recreation

(all capital) record

recon, reccy

reconnaissance

ref

referee

reference

reg

registration (UK: /ˈrɛdʒ/, of a motor vehicle)

regulation /ˈrɛɡ/

rehab

rehabilitation

rep

repetition

representative

(with initial capital) Republican

reputation

repo

repossession

repo man – repossession person

res

reserve (Indian or military)

residence

resolution

resp

respiratory

retro

retro-rocket

retrospective

rev

revolution (of a record, engine, etc.)

reverend

rhino

rhinoceros

ril

really

Rhodie

Rhodesian ridgeback

Rhodesian

Rhode Island red

Rolls

a Rolls-Royce

ruck

rucksack

rum

rumbullion (obsolete)^[55]

S

sales rep

sales representative

San Fran

San Francisco

sarge

sergeant

sarky (UK)

sarcastic

Satch

Joe Satriani

sax

saxophone

schizo

schizophrenic

Scottie

Scottish Terrier

scrum

scrummage (now mostly used in rugby football)

Sea-Tac

Seattle-Tacoma

sec

second

secant

Semper Fi!

Semper Fidelis

sig

significant (figures)

signal

(Internet) signature

sim

simulation

sis

sister

soph

sophomore

sosh

social (in the context of social security number)

spats

spatterdashes

spec

specialist

specification

speculation

specs

specifications

spectacles

sperm

spermaceti

spermatozoön

staph

staphylococcus

stat

statim (borrowed from Latin)

stats

statistics

steno

stenographer

stereo

stereophony

strep

streptococcus

stude

student

sub

subaltern

subeditor

subsidiary

sublieutenant

submarine

subordinate

subscriber

(especially as subs) subscription

subsistence money (an advance payment)

substitute

subway

sum

summarize

sus (or suss)

suspect

sush

sushi

sync or synch

synchronization

syncopation

synth

synthesizer

syph

syphilis

T

tab

tabulation

tan

tangent

tarp

tarpaulin

taxi or taxicab

taximeter cabriolet

tech

technician

technology

techno

technology

teddy

teddy bear

teen

teenager, teenage

tele or telly

television

terb

terrible

titfer

tit for tat (hat)

tog

obsolete togeman, from obsolete French togue, cloak, from Latin toga, garment

trad

tradition(al)

tranny

transmission

transsexual or transgender (slur/offensive)

transistor radio (obsolete)

tranq

tranquilizer

trans

transgender

trig

trigonometry

Trot

Trotskyite

turp, turps

turpentine

tux

tuxedo

twofer

two for one, two for the price of one

typo

typographical error

U

undies

underwear

uni

university

unicam

(unicameral) legislature (Nebraska, United States only)

V

veg

vegetate

veg or veggie

vegetable

vegetarian or vegan

vet

veterinarian

veteran

W

Westie

West Highland Terrier

Wisc

Wisconsin

women's lib

women's liberation

X

xolo

xoloitzcuintli

Y

Yank

Yankee

Yid

Jew (Yiddisher; offensive)

Z

zep

zeppelin

Zin

Zinfandel

zinco

zincograph

zoo

zoological garden

References