List of Commonly Used English Abbreviations You Should Know

Learn common abbreviations in English.

Helpful Abbreviations for Speedy Note-taking

Abbreviations

• approx. = approximately
  
• b/c = because
  
• b/4 = before
  
• bk. = book, born
  
• C = (e.g. 21C for ‘twenty-first century’)
  
• c. = approximately, roughly, about (abbreviation for the Latin ‘circa’)
  
• cf. = compared to, in comparison with
  
• cp. = compare
  
• def. = definition
  
• diff. = different, difference
  
• ea. = each
  
• e.g. = for example
  
• fr. = from
  
• etc. = and the rest, and so on
  
• gen. = general
  
• i.e. = that is, that means, in other words
  
• impt. = important
  
• NB  = important, notice this, note well
  
• nec. = nessesary
  
• no. = number
  
• pt. = point
  
• p. = page (pp. = pages)
  
• re. = regarding, about
  
• sim. = similar
  
• s/t = something
  
• T. = theory, theoretical
  …

• A = answer
  
• adm. = administration
  
• adj. = adjective, adjourned, adjustment
  
• abr. = abridged
  
• abbr. = abbreviation, abbreviated
  
• acad. = academic, academy
  
• aka. = also known as
  
• app. = appendix
  
• assoc. = association
  
• biol. = biology
  
• bibliog. = bibliography
  
• bot. = botanical, botany
  
• cap. = capital, capitalise
  
• chap. = chapter
  
• chem. = chemical
  
• co. = company
  
• colloq. = colloquial, colloquialism
  
• conf. = conference, confer
  
• cont. = containing, content, continental, continue, continued
  
• com. = commercial, commission, common, communication, community
  
• cr. = credit
  
• crit. = criticism…

Symbols

• 2: to, two, too
  
• 4: for
  
• 8: anything ending in ‘ate’
  
• +: and, also, as well as, in addition to, plus
  
• –: minus, without
  
• =: equals, is the same as, results in
  
• ≠: does not equal, is not the same as, does not result in
  
• ≈: is approximately equal to, is similar to
  
• <: is less than, is smaller than
  
• >: is greater than, is larger than
  
• ↑: increase, rise, growth
  
• ↑↑: rapid increase
  
• ↓: decrease, fall, shrinkage
  
• ↓↓: rapid decrease
  
• ∴ : therefore, thus
  
• ∵ : because
  
• →: leads on to, produces, causes
  
• X: no, not, incorrect
  
• Xx: definitely not, disproved
  
• ?: uncertain, possibly, unproven
  
• ✓ : yes, correct
  
• ✓✓ : definitely, certain, proven…

List of Commonly Used Abbreviations in English

“Internet & Email” Vocabulary

Important Abbreviations

Commonly Used Texting Abbreviations and Internet Acronyms

Network-Specific Acronyms

• FB = Facebook
• G+ = Google +
• IG = Instagram
• LI = Linkedln
• YT = YouTube
• DM = Direct Message
• MT = Modified Tweet
• PM = Private Message…

Texting Abbreviations and Chat Acronyms

• AFAIK = As Far As I Know
• AMA = Ask Me Anything
• BAE = Before Anyone Else
• BFF = Best Friends Forever
• BRB = Be Right Back
• BTW = By The Way
• FBO = Facebook Official
• FF = Follow Friday
• BBW =  Big Beautiful Woman
• FOMO = Fear of Missing Out
• FTW = For The Win
• FYI = For Your Information

• GTG = Got To Go
• ICYMI = In Case You Missed It
• IDC = I Don’t Care
• IDK = I Don’t Know
• ILY = I Love You
• IMHO = In My Humble Opinion
• IMO = In My Opinion
• IRL = In Real Life
• JK = Just Kidding
• LMAO = Laughing My A** Off
• LMK = Let Me Know
• LOL = Laughing Out Loud
• NBD = Not Big Deal
• NM = Not Much
• NSFW = Not Safe For Work
• OH = Overheard
• OMG = Oh My God/Gosh…