What is the difference between an acronym and an abbreviation?
An abbreviation is any shortened form of a word or phrase, like Dr. or etc. An acronym is a type of abbreviation made from initial letters and pronounced as a word, like NASA.
Abbreviations include many forms. Some shorten a single word, like Mon. for Monday or approx. for approximately. Contractions shorten words by removing letters from the middle, like Mr. for Mister. Others use the first letters of several words.
When an abbreviation uses initial letters, it is either an acronym or an initialism. Acronyms are spoken as words: NASA, UNESCO and scuba. Initialisms are spoken letter by letter: FBI, CEO and DNA. All acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations, but not all abbreviations are acronyms.
Writing rules
Style guides differ on punctuation. American English often uses periods in abbreviations like Dr. and Mrs., while British English often leaves them out. Writers usually spell out a full name the first time and then use the acronym, for example: the World Health Organization (WHO).
Did You Know?
The longest acronyms are often found in government and military jargon, where some contain more than 10 letters.