English abbreviations by country
As a global language, English has many regional variations with their own distinct vocabularies. Although most English speakers can understand each other, perhaps it’d be difficult for someone with a heavy Essex accent to communicate with someone with a deep Southern accent. Not only are the accents different, but so is much of the slang.
Even if you stick to purely professional speech, there are many government agencies that don’t translate well across countries. Even within the USA, two abbreviations can mean different things depending on the context. So, let’s take a look at some local abbreviations by country.
Global
Before we dive into the different countries, let’s take a look at some abbreviations of global importance. These are abbreviations that either encompass several countries or straight-up involve the entire world, so make sure to keep them in mind!
English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
UN | United Nations | oo-ni-ted nay-shons | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈneɪʃənz |
OECD | Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development | ore-gah-ne-say-shon for ec-con-no-mic co-o-per-ay-shon and de-vel-op-ment | ˌɔrɡənəˈzeɪʃən ˈfɔr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈkoʊˌɑpɚˈɹeɪʃən ənd dɪˈvɛləpmənt |
UNESCO | The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization | tuh oo-ni-ted nay-shons eh-doo-cay-sho-nal, si-ehn-tee-feec and cool-too-ral or-ga-nee-say-shon | ðə jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈneɪʃənz ˌɛdʒəˈkeɪʃənl̩ | ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ənd ˈkʌltʃɚɹəl ˌɔrɡənəˈzeɪʃən |
EU | European Union | u-ro-pee-an oo-nee-on | ˌjʊrəˈpiən ˈjunjən |
FIFA | International Federation of Football Association | in-ter-na-sho-nal feh-deh-ray-shon of foot-ball ah-so-see-ay-shon | ˌɪntɚˈnæʃənl̩ ˌfɛdɚˈɹeɪʃən əv ˈfʊtˌbɔl əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən |
NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | na-sho-nal air-oh-naw-teecs and spays ad-min-es-tray-shon | ˈnæʃənl̩ ˌɛrəˈnɔtɪks ənd ˈspeɪs ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization | north a-tlan-teec tree-tee or-ga-nee-say-shon | ˈnɔrθ ətˈlæntɪk ˈtɹiti ˌɔrɡənəˈzeɪʃən |
USMCA | United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement | oo-ni-ted states mex-e-co ca-na-da a-gree-ment | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts | ˈmɛksɪˌkoʊ | ˈkænədə əˈɡɹimənt |
WHO | World Health Organization | world health or-ga-nee-say-shon | ˈwɝld ˈhɛlθ ˌɔrɡənəˈzeɪʃən |
The United States
As a large and dynamic country, it’s very difficult to narrow down the abbreviations and acronyms used from coast to coast. Even within states, regional slang can vary significantly, as evidenced by the enormous difference between New York slang and California slang. With that said, there are a few essential acronyms and abbreviations that everyone must learn before stepping foot on U.S. soil.
English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
IRS | Internal Revenue Service | in-ter-nal reh-veh-new ser-vis | ɪnˈtɝnl̩ ˈɹɛvəˌnu ˈsɝvəs |
DMV | Department of Motor Vehicles | de-part-ment of mo-tor ve-e-cls | dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈmoʊtɚ ˈviəkəlz |
JFK | John F. Kennedy | john eff keh-ne-dee | ˈdʒɑn ˈɛf ‖ ˈkɛnədi |
MLK | Martin Luther King | mar-teen loo-ther keeng | ˈmɑrtn̩ ˈluθɚ ˈkɪŋ |
USAF | United States Air Force | oo-ni-ted states air fors | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts ˈɛr ˈfɔrs |
FBI | Federal Bureau of Investigations | feh-der-al boo-row of in-ves-tee-gay-shons | ˈfɛdɚɹəl ˈbjʊroʊ əv ɪnˌvɛstəˈɡeɪʃənz |
CIA | Central Intelligence Agency | sen-tral een-teh-lee-jens ay-jen-see | ˈsɛntɹəl ɪnˈtɛlədʒəns ˈeɪdʒənsi |
POTUS | President of the United States | pre-see-dent of the oo-ni-ted states | ˈpɹɛzədənt əv ðə jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts |
SCOTUS | Supreme Court of the United States | soo-preem cort of the oo-ni-ted states | səˈpɹim ˈkɔrt əv ðə jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts |
LA | Los Angeles | los an-gel-es | ˈloʊz ˈɑŋɡɛˌleɪs |
NYC | New York City | new york see-tee | ˈnu ˈjɔrk ˈsɪti |
SF | San Francisco | san fran-sees-co | ˈsɑn fɹænˈsɪskoʊ |
SLC | Salt Lake City | salt layk see-tee | ˈsɔlt ˈleɪk ˈsɪti |
MIA | Miami | my-ah-me | maɪˈæmi |
DMV Area | Delaware-Maryland-Virginia | deh-la-ware mar-e-land veer-jee-nee-ah | ˈdɛləˌwɛrˈmɛrələndvɚˈdʒɪnjə |
The Fed | The Federal Reserve Bank | thuh feh-deh-ral re-serv bank | ðə ˈfɛdɚɹəl ɹɪˈzɝv ˈbæŋk |
BOFA | Bank of America | bank of a-mer-e-ca | ˈbæŋk əv əˈmɛrəkə |
ASL | American Sign Language | ah-mer-e-can sin lan-goo-aj | əˈmɛrəkən ˈsaɪn ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ |
TSA | Transportation Security Administration | trans-por-tay-shon se-coor-e-tee ad-me-nees-tray-shon | ˌtɹænspɚˈteɪʃən sɪˈkjʊrəti ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
FAA | Federal Aviation Administration | fed-er-al ay-vee-ay-shon ad-me-nees-tray-shon | ˈfɛdɚɹəl ˌeɪviˈeɪʃən ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
USDA | United States Department of Agriculture | oo-ni-ted states de-part-ment of ag-ree-cool-toor | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈæɡɹɪˌkʌltʃɚ |
DOD | Department of Defense | de-part-ment of de-fens | dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv dɪˈfɛns |
DHS | Department of Homeland Security | de-part-ment of home-land sec-oo-ree-tee | dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈhoʊmˌlænd sɪˈkjʊrəti |
DOJ | Department of Justice | the de-part-ment of jus-tees | dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈdʒʌstəs |
USPS | United States Postal Service | oo-ni-ted states pos-tal ser-vees | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts ˈpoʊstl̩ ˈsɝvəs |
FDA | Food and Drug Administration | food and drug ad-me-nees-tray-shon | ˈfud ənd ˈdɹʌɡ ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
EPA | Environmental protection Agency | en-vi-ron-men-tal pro-tec-shon a-gen-see | ɪnˌvaɪɹənˈmɛntl̩ pɹəˈtɛkʃən ˈeɪdʒənsi | ˌiˌpiˈeɪ | |
CDC | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | sen-ters for dee-sees con-trol and pre-ven-shon | ˈsɛntɚz ˈfɔr dɪˈziz kənˈtɹoʊl ənd pɹɪˈvɛnʃən |
The United Kingdom
Whether you’re just visiting the United Kingdom or planning to move there, there are a few abbreviations and acronyms you’ll want to get familiar with before you board your flight. Here are some of the most common United Kingdom abbreviations.
English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
BBC | British Broadcasting Corporation | bree-tish brod-cas-teeng cor-por-ay-shon | ˈbɹɪtɪʃ ˈbɹɔdˌkæstɪŋ ˌkɔrpɚˈɹeɪʃən |
BA | British Airways | bree-tish air-ways | ˈbɹɪtɪʃ ˈɛrˌweɪz |
BoE | Bank of England | bank of en-gland | ˈbæŋk əv ˈɪŋɡlənd |
BR | British Rail | bree-tish rail | ˈbɹɪtɪʃ ˈɹeɪl |
innit | Isn’t it? | isn’t it | ˈɪzn̩t ˈɪt ‖ |
Sammie | Sandwich | sand-wich | ˈsændˌwɪtʃ |
A cuppa | A cup of tea | a cup of tee | ə ˈkʌp əv ˈti |
Soz | Sorry | sor-ry | ˈsɑri |
Manc | Manchester | man-ches-ter | ˈmænˌtʃɛstɚ |
P’s | Pounds (£) | paunds | ˈpaʊndz | |
Australia
If you’re visiting Australia soon, you must start preparing for the sheer number of abbreviations you will hear on a daily basis. Rather than an abundance of initialisms or acronyms, most Australian abbreviations are in the form of clipped words, usually as a shortened form of the first half of a word with a cute ending. You’ll see what we mean in the table below.
English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
Chrissie | Christmas | crist-mas | ˈkɹɪsməs |
Brekky | Breakfast | brek-fast | ˈbɹɛkfəst |
Avo | Avocado | a-vo-ca-do | ˌɑvəˈkɑdoʊ |
Servo | Gas station | gas stay-shon | ˌɑvəˈkɑdoʊ |
Maccas | McDonald’s | mac-doh-nalds | məkˈdɑnəldz |
Bevos | Beverages | beh-vuh-ra-jes | ˈbɛvɹɪdʒəz |
Sanga | Sandwich | sand-which | ˈsændˌwɪtʃ |
Aggro | Aggressive | ah-greh-seev | əˈɡɹɛsɪv |
Barbie | Barbecue | bar-be-cue | ˈbɑrbɪˌkju |
Cab Sav | Cabernet Sauvignon | ca-ber-neh sah-vee-nyoh | ˌkæbɚˈneɪ ˌsɔˈvɪnjɑn |
Devo | Devastated | deh-vas-tay-ted | ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtəd |
Mushie | Mushroom | mush-room | ˈmʌʃrum |
Ambo | Ambulance | am-byoo-lens | æmbjələns |
Other English acronyms
As we promised earlier, we’ve got English acronyms for you! While these don’t fall into any particular category, they are all extremely helpful and worth at least being aware of. We’re sure you’ll run into them in the wild at some point, and when you do, don’t forget to think about us!
English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
DOB | Date of birth | dayt of burth | ˈdeɪt əv ˈbɝθ |
TBA | To be announced | too bee ah-nounsed | ˈtu ˈbi əˈnaʊnst |
TBD | To be determined | too bee de-tehr-minned | ˈtu ˈbi dɪˈtɝmənd |
TBC | To be continued | too bee con-tee-newd | ˈtu ˈbi kənˈtɪnjud |
VAT | Value-added Tax | va-lew a-ded tax | ˈvæljuˈædəd ˈtæks |
DOA | Dead on arrival | ded on ah-ri-val | ˈdɛd ˈɔn ɚˈɹaɪvəl |
GMO | Genetically modified organisms | guh-ne-tee-cuh-lee mo-dee-fyed ore-gah-neesms | dʒəˈnɛtɪkli ˈmɑdəˌfaɪd ˈɔrɡəˌnɪzəmz |
MIA | Missing in action | miss-ing in ac-tee-on | ˈmɪsɪŋ ˈɪn ˈækʃən |
OCD | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | ob-sess-iv com-pool-siv dis-ore-der | ɑbˈsɛsɪv kəmˈpʌlsɪv dɪsˈɔrdɚ |
BOGO | Buy one, get one | bye wuhn get wuhn | ˈbaɪ ˈwʌn | ˈɡɛt ˈwʌn |
ICYMI | In case you missed it | een case yoo missd eet | ˈɪn ˈkeɪs ˈju ˈmɪst ˈɪt |
FWIW | For what it’s worth | fore wuht its worth | ˈfɔr ˈwɑt ˈɪts ˈwɝθ |
Skip the line and level up your English with abbreviations
Now that you know 275 different abbreviations, from texting abbreviations to acronyms don’t be shy to start using them! The more often you use these English acronyms and abbreviations, the sooner you’ll become proficient in them — and the more time you’ll save!
If you feel like you’ve already got these under control, why not try out our list of the hardest words in English? We’ve got over 250 incredibly challenging words, so you’re sure to find a few tricky new words regardless of your level!
