Skip to the word

Added 2 October 2026

abbreviate

/əˈbɹiː.vi.eɪt/ verb

In Latin: abbreviō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about abbreviate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To shorten by omitting parts or details. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
To speak or write in a brief manner.
To make shorter; to shorten (in time); to abridge; to shorten by ending sooner than planned.

adjective

Abbreviated.
Abbreviated, abridged, shortened.
Having one part relatively shorter than another or than the ordinary type.

noun

An abridgment.

Origin

From Middle English abbreviaten, from abbreviat(e) (“abbreviated”, used as the participle of abbreviaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin abbreviātus, perfect passive participle of abbreviō (“to shorten”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), formed from ab- + breviō (“to shorten”), from brevis (“short”). Alternatively, a back-formation from abbreviation. Doublet of abridge.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word