Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms

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abbreviations_acronyms_initialisms [2024/11/18 06:30] – [Initialism] wikiownerabbreviations_acronyms_initialisms [2026/06/08 08:31] (current) – [Initialism] wikiowner
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   * **CAPTCHA** - **C**ompletely **A**utomated **P**ublic **T**uring test to tell **C**omputers and **H**umans **A**part - The acronym (pronounced KAP-chə) is the challenge-response test just about everyone has seen when trying to access their online accounts.  Here's a recent example. {{:captcha.jpg?linkonly|}}   * **CAPTCHA** - **C**ompletely **A**utomated **P**ublic **T**uring test to tell **C**omputers and **H**umans **A**part - The acronym (pronounced KAP-chə) is the challenge-response test just about everyone has seen when trying to access their online accounts.  Here's a recent example. {{:captcha.jpg?linkonly|}}
   * **Cron** - As in Cronjob.  **C**ommand **R**un **O**n **N**otice   * **Cron** - As in Cronjob.  **C**ommand **R**un **O**n **N**otice
 +  * **DOS** - **D**isk **O**perating **S**ystem - What we had before Windows.  (Yes, I know that's a pretty lame explanation, but good enough.)
   * **ESRI** - **E**nvironmental **S**ystems **R**esearch **I**nstitute - The acronym (pronounced 'ez-ree') is now the preferred usage however, it is still spoken as an initialism, particularly by long-time (i.e. old) ESRI software users.   * **ESRI** - **E**nvironmental **S**ystems **R**esearch **I**nstitute - The acronym (pronounced 'ez-ree') is now the preferred usage however, it is still spoken as an initialism, particularly by long-time (i.e. old) ESRI software users.
   * **FOMO** - **F**ear **O**f **M**issing **O**ut -  The sense that when you're presented with new information, whether via email, seeing a new article in your Facebook or Twitter feeds, or scrolling through notifications on your phone, that if you don't stop everything and consume it immediately, you're going to miss out on something super important that everybody else in the world knows about but you.   * **FOMO** - **F**ear **O**f **M**issing **O**ut -  The sense that when you're presented with new information, whether via email, seeing a new article in your Facebook or Twitter feeds, or scrolling through notifications on your phone, that if you don't stop everything and consume it immediately, you're going to miss out on something super important that everybody else in the world knows about but you.
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   * **JSON** - (pronounced "jason" according to its inventor, Douglas Crockford), stands for **J**ava**S**cript **O**bject **N**otation   * **JSON** - (pronounced "jason" according to its inventor, Douglas Crockford), stands for **J**ava**S**cript **O**bject **N**otation
   * **Laser** - **Li**ght **A**mplification of **S**timulated **E**mission of **R**adiation - Everyone knows what a laser is.   * **Laser** - **Li**ght **A**mplification of **S**timulated **E**mission of **R**adiation - Everyone knows what a laser is.
-  * **LiDAR** - **Li**ght **D**etection **a**nd **R**anging - A laser version of Radar.+  * **LiDAR** - **Li**ght **D**etection **a**nd **R**anging - A laser version of Radar.  (See Radar, below.)
   * **LORAN** - **L**ong **R**ange **N**avigation - A long range system developed in the United States during World War II.   * **LORAN** - **L**ong **R**ange **N**avigation - A long range system developed in the United States during World War II.
   * **NASA** - **N**ational **A**eronautics and **S**pace **A**dministration   * **NASA** - **N**ational **A**eronautics and **S**pace **A**dministration
   * **NATO** - **N**orth **A**tlantic **T**reaty **O**rganization   * **NATO** - **N**orth **A**tlantic **T**reaty **O**rganization
   * **OPEC** - **O**rganization of the **P**etroleum **E**xporting **C**ountries   * **OPEC** - **O**rganization of the **P**etroleum **E**xporting **C**ountries
 +  * **PARC** - **P**alo **A**lto **R**esearch **C**enter - PARC is where the computer mouse came from.  They did a few other things as well.
   * **PIN** - **P**ersonal **I**dentification **N**umber, used for just about everything in the world.   * **PIN** - **P**ersonal **I**dentification **N**umber, used for just about everything in the world.
 +  * **QR Code** - **Q**quick **R**esponse Code, sort of an acronym 
   * **Radar** - **RA**dio **D**etecting **A**nd **R**anging   * **Radar** - **RA**dio **D**etecting **A**nd **R**anging
   * **Scuba** - **S**elf-**C**ontained **U**nderwater **B**reathing **A**pparatus   * **Scuba** - **S**elf-**C**ontained **U**nderwater **B**reathing **A**pparatus
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   * **SQL** - Stands for **S**tructured **Q**uery **L**anguage.  Even though many people pronounce this as a word (sequel), and thereby making it an acronym, that's wrong. It's really an initialism (see below in the Initialism section) and it should be pronounced that way.  (BTW, SEQUEL, was a real acronym back in the 70s when it stood for **S**tructured **E**nglish **Que**ry **L**anguage, but was dropped because it was a trademark of an airplane company.) BTW, this is the only three-letter acronym that I have at the moment, but like I mentioned, it's really used incorrectly.   * **SQL** - Stands for **S**tructured **Q**uery **L**anguage.  Even though many people pronounce this as a word (sequel), and thereby making it an acronym, that's wrong. It's really an initialism (see below in the Initialism section) and it should be pronounced that way.  (BTW, SEQUEL, was a real acronym back in the 70s when it stood for **S**tructured **E**nglish **Que**ry **L**anguage, but was dropped because it was a trademark of an airplane company.) BTW, this is the only three-letter acronym that I have at the moment, but like I mentioned, it's really used incorrectly.
   * **SWOT** - **S**trengths, **W**eaknesses, **O**pportunities, and **T**hreats - Used as a structured planning method to evaluate these key areas of an organization. My experience has shown that this is just another thing that some people like to do and then try to pass it off as actually being useful.   * **SWOT** - **S**trengths, **W**eaknesses, **O**pportunities, and **T**hreats - Used as a structured planning method to evaluate these key areas of an organization. My experience has shown that this is just another thing that some people like to do and then try to pass it off as actually being useful.
-  * **WYSIWYG** - Pronounced (WIZ-ee-wig) - Stands for "**W**hat **Y**ou **S**ee **I**s **W**hat **Y**ou **G**et."  That phrase, "what you see is what you get", was originally created by Flip Wilson's character Geraldine and it inspired researchers at PARC (and elsewhere) to create the acronym for computer software that allows content to be edited in a form that looks like it will when printed.  Really a useless acronym, now, but was popular at one time.+  * **WiFi** - **Wi**reless **Fi**delity 
 +  * **WYSIWYG** - Pronounced (WIZ-ee-wig) - Stands for "**W**hat **Y**ou **S**ee **I**s **W**hat **Y**ou **G**et."  That phrase, "what you see is what you get", was originally created by Flip Wilson's character Geraldine and it inspired researchers at PARC (and elsewhere) to use the acronym for computer software that allows content to be edited in a form that looks like it will when printed.  Pretty much a useless acronym now, but was popular at one time.
   * **YAGNI** - Stands for "**Y**ou **A**ren't **G**onna **N**eed **I**t" - a principle of extreme programming (XP) that states a programmer should not add functionality until deemed necessary.   * **YAGNI** - Stands for "**Y**ou **A**ren't **G**onna **N**eed **I**t" - a principle of extreme programming (XP) that states a programmer should not add functionality until deemed necessary.
      
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 Examples: Examples:
   * **A11Y** - **Accessibility**, the letter "a," followed by 11 letters, followed by "y"   * **A11Y** - **Accessibility**, the letter "a," followed by 11 letters, followed by "y"
 +  * **AI** - **A**rtificial **I**ntelligence 
   * **aka** - **a**lso **k**nown **a**s   * **aka** - **a**lso **k**nown **a**s
 +  * **AM** - **A**nte **M**eridiem - e.g. 10:00 AM
   * **API** - **A**pplication **P**rogramming **I**nterface   * **API** - **A**pplication **P**rogramming **I**nterface
   * **ASAP** - **A**s **S**oon **A**s **P**ossible - sometimes used as an acronym   * **ASAP** - **A**s **S**oon **A**s **P**ossible - sometimes used as an acronym
 +  * **AWOL** - **A**way **W**ithout **O**fficial **L**eave
   * **BFF** - **B**est **F**riends **F**orever   * **BFF** - **B**est **F**riends **F**orever
 +  * **CCTV** - **C**losed-**C**ircuit **T**elevision
   * **CD** - **C**ompact **D**isc   * **CD** - **C**ompact **D**isc
 +  * **CEO** - **C**hief **E**xecutive **O**fficer
   * **CGI** - **C**ommon **G**ateway **I**nterface - an interface specification that enables web servers to execute an external program to process HTTP/S user requests.  These programs are commonly referred to as CGI scripts.  Examples include CGI scripts that process form submissions.   * **CGI** - **C**ommon **G**ateway **I**nterface - an interface specification that enables web servers to execute an external program to process HTTP/S user requests.  These programs are commonly referred to as CGI scripts.  Examples include CGI scripts that process form submissions.
   * **CIDR** - **C**lassless **I**nter-**D**omain **R**outing (I use this all the time.)   * **CIDR** - **C**lassless **I**nter-**D**omain **R**outing (I use this all the time.)
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   * **e.g.** - from the Latin //**e**xemplī **g**rātiā// ‎(“for example”)   * **e.g.** - from the Latin //**e**xemplī **g**rātiā// ‎(“for example”)
   * **EPA** - **E**nvironmental **P**rotection **A**gency   * **EPA** - **E**nvironmental **P**rotection **A**gency
 +  * **EQ** - **E**motional **Q**uotient
   * **FAQ** - **F**requently **A**sked **Q**uestions   * **FAQ** - **F**requently **A**sked **Q**uestions
   * **FBI** - **F**ederal **B**ureau of **I**nvestigation   * **FBI** - **F**ederal **B**ureau of **I**nvestigation
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   * **IE** - **I**nternet **E**xplorer.  Many people confuse IE with a web browser.  Technically, IE <del>is</del> was (it officially died on June 21, 2022) a Microsoft Internet document viewer.  A true web browser will open and display web-based files that conform to the W3C standards. IE <del>opens</del> opened and <del>displays</del> displayed web-based files that <del>conform</del> conformed to Microsoft's standards.   * **IE** - **I**nternet **E**xplorer.  Many people confuse IE with a web browser.  Technically, IE <del>is</del> was (it officially died on June 21, 2022) a Microsoft Internet document viewer.  A true web browser will open and display web-based files that conform to the W3C standards. IE <del>opens</del> opened and <del>displays</del> displayed web-based files that <del>conform</del> conformed to Microsoft's standards.
   * **i.e.** - from the Latin //**i**d **e**st// (‎“that is”)   * **i.e.** - from the Latin //**i**d **e**st// (‎“that is”)
 +  * **IQ** - **I**ntelligence **Q**uotient
   * **L10N** - **Localization**, the letter "l," followed by 10 letters, followed by "n"   * **L10N** - **Localization**, the letter "l," followed by 10 letters, followed by "n"
   * **nka** - **n**ow **k**nown **a**s   * **nka** - **n**ow **k**nown **a**s
 +  * **OTP** - **O**ne-**T**ime **P**assword
   * **P13N** - **Personalization**, the letter "p," followed by 13 letters, followed by "n"   * **P13N** - **Personalization**, the letter "p," followed by 13 letters, followed by "n"
   * **PhD** - Stands for "**D**octor of **Ph**ilosophy" which appears to be a misnomer since most have never taken a philosophy course in their lives.   * **PhD** - Stands for "**D**octor of **Ph**ilosophy" which appears to be a misnomer since most have never taken a philosophy course in their lives.
   * **PHP** - PHP is a very powerful scripting language.  In the beginning (1995) "PHP" stood for "**P**ersonal **H**ome **P**age."  But that's changed.  It's now a recursive abbreviation and stands for "**P**HP - **H**ypertext **P**reprocessor."   * **PHP** - PHP is a very powerful scripting language.  In the beginning (1995) "PHP" stood for "**P**ersonal **H**ome **P**age."  But that's changed.  It's now a recursive abbreviation and stands for "**P**HP - **H**ypertext **P**reprocessor."
   * **PII** - **P**ersonally **I**dentifiable **I**nformation. Examples include: Full name/usernames, Home address/mailing address, Email address, Credit card numbers, Date of birth, and Phone numbers.   * **PII** - **P**ersonally **I**dentifiable **I**nformation. Examples include: Full name/usernames, Home address/mailing address, Email address, Credit card numbers, Date of birth, and Phone numbers.
 +  * **PM** - **P**ost **M**eridiem - e.g. 10:00 PM
 +  * **QR**  (as in QR code) - **Q**uick **R**esponse
 +  * **SAQ** - **S**eldom **A**sked **Q**uestions
   * **SFTP** - **S**SH **FTP** (File Transfer Protocol), essentially Secure FTP   * **SFTP** - **S**SH **FTP** (File Transfer Protocol), essentially Secure FTP
 +  * **SIM** - **S**ubscriber **I**dentity **M**odule, as in SIM card
 +  * **SOP** - **S**tandard **O**perating **P**rocedure
   * **SQL** - Stands for **S**tructured **Q**uery **L**anguage and although most people pronounce this as a word, and therefore consider it an acronym, that's wrong.  It's really an initialism and it should be pronounced that way.  See also SQL in the Acronym section, above.   * **SQL** - Stands for **S**tructured **Q**uery **L**anguage and although most people pronounce this as a word, and therefore consider it an acronym, that's wrong.  It's really an initialism and it should be pronounced that way.  See also SQL in the Acronym section, above.
   * **SSH** - **S**ecure **Sh**ell   * **SSH** - **S**ecure **Sh**ell
   * **TFS** - **T**eam **F**oundation **S**erver - something from Microsoft supposedly to aid in the development of software.  Here's an interesting and little known fact.  It was originally called "Productivity Optimization Server," however, confusion resulted since the phrase "Microsoft POS" referred to multiple Microsoft products.   * **TFS** - **T**eam **F**oundation **S**erver - something from Microsoft supposedly to aid in the development of software.  Here's an interesting and little known fact.  It was originally called "Productivity Optimization Server," however, confusion resulted since the phrase "Microsoft POS" referred to multiple Microsoft products.
-  * **TL;DR** - short for "**T**oo **L**ong; **D**idn't **R**ead" - Internet slang to say that some text being replied to has been ignored because of its length.  Variations include: **ToS;DR** - "Terms of Service; Didn't Read"and **DC;DR** - "Don't Care; Didn't Read",+  * **TL;DR** - short for "**T**oo **L**ong; **D**idn't **R**ead" - Internet slang to say that some text being replied to has been ignored because of its length.  Variations include: **ToS;DR** - "Terms of Service; Didn't Read" and **DC;DR** - "Don't Care; Didn't Read",
   * **TMI** - **T**oo **M**uch **I**nformation, or **T**hree **M**ile **I**sland, depending on the context.   * **TMI** - **T**oo **M**uch **I**nformation, or **T**hree **M**ile **I**sland, depending on the context.
   * **URL** - **U**niform **R**esource **L**ocator and is a reference to a resource on the Internet.  It's usually just referred to as the web address.  Some people will pronounce this as if it was an acronym (earl) but that's wrong, and just sounds stupid.   * **URL** - **U**niform **R**esource **L**ocator and is a reference to a resource on the Internet.  It's usually just referred to as the web address.  Some people will pronounce this as if it was an acronym (earl) but that's wrong, and just sounds stupid.
 +  * **USB** - **U**niversal **S**erial **B**us
   * **UX** - Guess this is an initialism with a typo.  It stands for **U**ser E**x**perience.   * **UX** - Guess this is an initialism with a typo.  It stands for **U**ser E**x**perience.
   * **VCS**  - **V**ersion **C**ontrol **S**ystem, a system responsible for managing changes to software, e.g. GIT or SVN   * **VCS**  - **V**ersion **C**ontrol **S**ystem, a system responsible for managing changes to software, e.g. GIT or SVN
   * **VHS** - **V**ideo **H**ome **S**ystem (nobody ever knew this!)   * **VHS** - **V**ideo **H**ome **S**ystem (nobody ever knew this!)
 +  * **VIP** - **V**ery **I**mportant **P**erson
   * **XKCD** - Ok, this is **NOT** an initialism.  According to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xkcd | this]], it's "just a word with no phonetic pronunciation." I'm putting it here, anyway, because this is probably where someone will go to look for it. [[https://xkcd.com/ | XKCD]] (or xkcd) is "A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language."   * **XKCD** - Ok, this is **NOT** an initialism.  According to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xkcd | this]], it's "just a word with no phonetic pronunciation." I'm putting it here, anyway, because this is probably where someone will go to look for it. [[https://xkcd.com/ | XKCD]] (or xkcd) is "A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language."
  
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