Here’s a guide to 115 commonly used acronyms/abbreviations for online
chats, emails, instant messaging, and texting … plus 30 traditional ones.
(Be sure
to bookmark this page for easy reference.)
Acronyms are almost everywhere
in electronic communications.
Shortcuts abound in emails, text messages, chat room
dialogues, and social networking page comments. Although spelling teachers and
editors might balk at the invented spellings that frequently appear,
convenience seems to be winning out.
Like it or not, we find that acronyms and abbreviations have
taken hold in daily usage. The most popular terms, though tersely expressed,
may speak volumes about current communication and even the subjects upon which
folks may focus.
Here (by special request) are 115 of the most acronyms and
abbreviations most frequently used in electronic communications (listed
alphabetically).
1)
2G2BT = too good to be true
2)
AAR = at any rate (also AAR8 = at any rate)
3)
ABT2 = about to
4)
ADDY = address
5)
B/C = because (also BC = because)
6)
B4 = before
7)
BAK = back at keyboard
8)
BB4N = bye-bye for now
9)
BCNU = be seeing you
10) BEG
= big evil grin
11) BF
= boyfriend
12) BFF
= best friend forever
13) BIBI
= bye-bye
14) BIL
= boss is listening
15) BIL
= brother-in-law
16) BIO
= bring it on
17) BITD
= back in the day
18) BKA
= better known as
19) BRB
= be right back
20) BTD
= bored to death
21) BTDT
= been there, done that
22) BTDTGTS
= been there, done that, got the tee shirt
23) BTN
= better than nothing
24) BTW
= by the way
25) BW
= best wishes
26) BWTM
= but wait, there’s more
27) BZ
= busy
28) C/S
= changing the subject
29) C4N
= ciao for now
30) CIL
= check in later
31) CNP
= continued in next post
32) CRAT
= can’t remember a thing
33) CRB
= come right back
34) CTO
= check this out
35) CTRN
= can’t talk right now
36) CU
= see you
37) CUL8R
= see you later
38) CWOT
= complete waste of time
39) CYA
= see ya
40) D/C
= disconnect
41) DEF
= definitely
42) DEGT
= don’t even go there
43) DH
= dear husband
44) DHYB
= don’t hold your breath
45) DIKU
= do I know you?
46) DILLIGAR
= do I look like I give a rip?
47) DISTO
= did I say that out loud?
48) DKDC
= don’t know, don’t care
49) DLTM
= don’t lie to me
50) DMI
= don’t mention it
51) DNC
= does not compute
52) DP
= domestic partner
53) DQMOT
= don’t quote me on this
54) DW
= dear wife
55) EAK
= eating at keyboard
56) EOM
= end of message
57) F2F
= face to face
58) FCFS
= first come, first served
59) FCOL
= for crying out loud
60) FIL
= father-in-law
61) FITB
= fill in the blanks
62) FTR
= for the record
63) FTTB
= for the time being
64) G1
= good one
65) G2G
= got to go
66) G4N
= good for nothing
67) GAL
= get a life
68) GBTW
= get back to work
69) GF
= girlfriend
70) GG
= good game
71) GJ
= good job
72) GMAB
= give me a break
73) GN
= good night
74) GNSD
= good night, sweet dreams
75) GR8
= great
76) GTG
= got to go
77) GTK
= good to know
78) HI5
= high five
79) IBRB
= I’ll be right back
80) IDK
= I don’t know
81) ILY
= I love you
82) IM
= instant message
83) IMHO
= in my humble opinion
84) IRL
= in real life
85) JK
= just kidding
86) JTOL
= just thinking out loud
87) K
= OK
88) L8R
= later
89) LMAO
= laughing my a** off
90) LOL
= laughing out loud
91) MIL
– mother-in-law
92) MOF
= matter of fact
93) NNWW
= nudge, nudge, wink, wink
94) OMG
= oh, my goodness
95) PAL
= parents are listening
96) PAW
= parents are watching
97) PM
= private message
98) QOTD
= quote of the day
99) QT
= cutie
100)
RBTL = read between the lines
101)
ROFL = rolling on the floor laughing
102)
ROTM = right on the money
103)
RU = are you
104)
SIL = sister-in-law
105)
SLAP = sounds like a plan
106)
TMI = too much information
107)
TY = thank you
108)
VBG = very big grin
109)
W8 = wait
110)
WOOT = we own the other team
111)
WTG = way to go
112)
WTH = what the heck
113)
Y = why
114)
YGBK = you’ve got to be kidding
115)
YW = you’re welcome
 |
| Copyrighted material. Unauthorized reproduction or publication is not allowed. |
Acronyms and
abbreviations are not a new concept, despite their growing popularity.
Several more traditionally used acronyms and abbreviations
may also appear in contemporary electronic communications (such as internet
chat rooms, IMs, text messages and more). Many of these shortcuts started with
industrial, military and technical applications – but later spread to popular
culture.
1)
411 = information
2)
911 = emergency
3)
AKA = also known as
4)
ASAP = as soon as possible
5)
AWOL = absent without leave
6)
BYOB = bring your own bottle
7)
DIY = do it yourself
8)
EZ = easy
9)
FAQ = frequently asked questions
10) FWD
= forward
11) FYI
– for your information
12) GIGO
– garbage in, garbage out
13) IOU
= I owe you
14) KISS
= keep it simple, stupid
15) MIA
= missing in action
16) MSG
= message
17) MYOB
= mind your own business
18) OBO
= or best offer
19) OTC
= over the counter
20) PDQ
= pretty darn quick
21) PLZ
= please
22) PS
= post script
23) R&R
= rest and relaxation
24) SWAK
= sealed with a kiss
25) T&C
= terms and conditions
26) TBD
= to be determined
27) TGIF
– thank God it’s Friday
28) TLC
= tender loving care
29) TTFN
= ta-ta for now
30) TXS
= thanks
Several profane acronyms have also become popular in
electronic communications, but these bear no repeating here. Such shortcuts may
be simple to decipher – at least, by those who desire to do so.
CTRN?
Go for brevity. Try giving out the 411 with a shortcut. BTW,
even TLC may be expressed with just a few keystrokes, so BIO.
Just don’t try it in a book manuscript, an article, or
another item aimed for publication (unless you’re citing a text or electronic
message). Editors tend to frown on such acronyms.
Image/s:
Adapted by this user
from public domain image
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