Language · 2
What is the term for a word derived from the initials of other words?
Answer
Acronym
An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a single word, such as 'NASA' (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) or 'SCUBA' (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus). Acronyms differ from initialisms, which are pronounced letter-by-letter (FBI, CIA). Acronyms have become ubiquitous in modern English, particularly in technology, medicine, and military contexts.
💡 Did you know?
The acronym NASA is pronounced as a word, while FBI is an initialism pronounced as individual letters.
Other options people guess
- Initialism
- Abbreviation
- Contraction
Topics
- word formation
- linguistics
- abbreviations
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